Cuttack: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Police has arrested a man from Badambadi in Cuttack on charges of fraud and forgery involving ₹12.42 crore.

The accused, Dillip Kumar Nayak, was produced before the Designated Court under the OPID Act in Cuttack.

Dilip had contested the last Assembly elections in 2024 from the Nimapara constituency as a BJD candidate against Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida.

According to official sources, the case originated from a written complaint lodged by Bijay Rout of Ranihat Malisahi, Cuttack, at the Badambadi Police Station in November 2023. Rout alleged  Nayak induced him to enter into a joint real estate venture and invest in land purchases.

Following the complaint, Badambadi PS Case No. 417 dated 22.11.2023 under Sections 420/406/506 of the IPC was registered. The EOW later took over the investigation, re-registering it as EOW Case No. 13 dated 18.09.2025 under the same sections.

Rout claimed he paid ₹7.42 crore to Nayak for purchasing land at Pandara, Bhubaneswar, in his name. Nayak, however, registered the property in his own name.

Nayak also took ₹2 crore from Rout’s wife, with three agreements executed on September 1, 2020.

When asked to return the money, Nayak issued 35 cheques worth ₹10.5 crore. Many were dishonoured due to insufficient funds or deliberate signature mismatches.

Investigations revealed that between 2015–2017, Nayak took ₹3 crore from Rout for business investments.

In 2018, he accepted ₹4 crore for land at Bajrakbati, Cuttack, but failed to deliver. He later demanded an additional ₹3.42 crore for land at Patia.

He also took ₹3 crore (including ₹1 crore from Rout’s wife) for forming a company, of which only ₹1 crore was repaid.

In 2021, Nayak induced Rout to invest ₹3.5 crore for five acres of land at Trisulia. Nayak fraudulently became joint owner and secretly sold 2.5 acres without Rout’s knowledge.

During searches at Nayak’s residence, the EOW seized a large number of incriminating documents, including sale deeds, powers of attorney, agreements to sell, and bank account records in different names. These documents are currently under scrutiny.

The investigation is ongoing, officials confirmed.