Extortionist posing as Kanak TV reporter arrested

Reported by Santosh Jagdev
Bhubaneswar, Sep 3:

Commissionerate Police this evening arrested a fake journalist, identifying himself as a Kanak TV reporter, from near Sambad Bhawan in Odisha capital for asking for a sum of Rs 15 lakh as bribe from an ashram member to stop telecast of the alleged unlawful activity of the ashram in the channel.

The fake journalist was identified as Amaya Chandrakanta Tripathy (36) of Sanabetara under Patkura police limits in Kendrapara district.

According to Saheed Nagar police sources, Tripathy had asked Prakash Dash, a member of the Sishu Ananta Thakur Ashram located in Tirtol in Jagatsinghpur district, for Rs 15 lakh earlier in the day to stop telecast of the unlawful activities of Balia Baba, another godman in the Ashram, on Kanak TV.

Fearing the expose of Balia Baba’s wrongdoings on television, Dash had agreed to the demands of Tripathy and came near Sambad Bhawan in the city to hand over the money.

While Tripathy was receiving money from Dash this evening, Kanak staff caught Tripathy red-handed and handed him over to Saheed Nagar police.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case against Tripathy and are interrogating him on the matter.