Bhubaneswar: In a striking case of life imitating art, the Commissionerate Police have arrested eight people, including four women, for allegedly impersonating Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers and running an extortion racket targeting educational institutions and business establishments in Bhubaneswar.
The modus operandi bears an uncanny resemblance to the 2013 Akshay Kumar starrer Special 26, where a gang of con artists posed as CBI and Income Tax officials to swindle wealthy businessmen and politicians.
According to sources, the gang of eight was caught red-handed outside a private educational institution in Chandrasekharpur area after police received specific information about them intimidating staff and demanding money. The arrested persons have been identified as:Pooja Behera, Pratima Parida, Jenamani Pradhan, Saubhagya Sahu, Dharmendra Boitai, Manoj Kumar Mishra, Annapurna Panda and Nilu Nayak.
The accused allegedly ran City Investigation and Detective, a recovery agency. They entered schools and colleges, pointed out fabricated irregularities and demanded money in exchange for not taking “official action”. They extended the same modus operandi to major commercial establishments, using threats and intimidation to extract cash.
All eight were produced before a local court following their arrest.
Further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the racket, including involvement of additional members, the total amount extorted, and the period over which the activities were carried out, the sources added.
