Bhubaneswar: Realtor-cum-film producer Niranjan Rana (53) of Balianta has been arrested on charges of cheating over 100 plot and flat buyers in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to the tune of crores of rupees.
Rana is the managing director of Maa Tarini Estcon Private Limited, a real estate company, and allegedly involved in fraudulent activities since 2000. He was earlier arrested by Saheed Nagar police on similar charges. He was booked in 21 cases registered in various police stations across the city under the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (OPID) Act 2011, and seven non-bailable warrants (NBWs) were pending against him.
According to police sources, Rana shifted his office, which he had first opened at Saheed Nagar, to Pahal and fled to Mumbai after being released from jail. He had hired some people to run his office and was operating the business from Maharashtra.
Police raided his house as he returned to Bhubaneswar on Wednesday for Durga Puja and apprehended him.
Rana had diverted the money he duped from gullible investors into the film industry. He is known for making high-budget Odia films like Hari Bhai Harena, Je Panche Para Manda, Rakate Lekhichi Naa, Target, and Pahili Raja.
“He maintained a lavish lifestyle in Mumbai. A Toyota Fortuner bearing Maharashtra registration number and other incriminating articles were seized from him. Investigation is underway to ascertain the exact number of buyers whom he duped and the total money swindled by him,” Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra told the media.
In June 2016, police arrested him on charges of duping around Rs 9 crore from gullible customers by promising to provide them with flats here. He had floated Sai Enclave Project at Balianta on the outskirts of the city for which he had reportedly collected money from at least 86 people. Those who had invested their money tried to get in touch with Rana but in vain following which they turned to police for help.