Rs 1.47 Cr Job Fraud: Absconding Accused Nabbed From Odisha’s Balasore

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing, Bhubaneswar, on Saturday arrested another fraudster from Chandaneswar, Balasore, in connection with a Rs 1.47 crore job fraud case.

He has been identified as Jayanta Mohanty.

According to EOW sources, one Badal Kumar Raul had lodged a complaint against Mohanty, Baikunthanath Naik, Bhimsen Moharana and another for alleged fraud, forgery and cheating 38 job aspirants on the pretext of enlisting their names in the supplementary selection list of Combined Police Service Examination-2013 by impersonating themselves as Assistant Section
Officer, Home and other senior officials.

Investigation so far revealed Raul and other 37 victim aspirants had appeared in Combined Police Service Examination, 2013 (CPSE-2013) conducted by Odisha Staff Selection Commission for the post of Sub-Inspectors of Police, Sergeant and Deputy Subedar. The final merit list of the selected candidates was published in December 2016. “There was a false supposition that a second/supplementary list would come out. The victim aspirants who had appeared for the viva-voce test became hopeful of getting a job in case of publication of any supplementary list. The fraudsters exploited this situation,” the release said.

Naik demanded Rs 5 to 6 lakh from each of them by impersonating an Assistant Section Officer of the Home Department, while Bhimsen Moharana approached him as a high official of the department and Mohanty claimed to be having contact with higher officials. Being persuaded, the complainant and others collected money and deposited the amount in the bank as well as paid in cash.

From May to November 2020, the accused persons took Rs 1.47 crore from them.

Notably, Moharana had retired as a senior grade recorder from the Higher Education Department. During the house search of Naik, several incriminating documents, including 12 ATM Cards as well the fake ID card of ASO, were seized, the release further said, adding that all bank accounts have been frozen.

While Naik and Moharana were arrested earlier while Mohanty had fled the state and was nabbed based on intelligence input, it added.