Fake CRPF inspector held in Odisha

Reported by Santosh Jaqgdev
Bhubaneswar, Sep 29:

Commissionerate Police in Odisha today arrested a 30-year-old man for duping a Sundarpada resident of Rs 1.09 lakh by impersonating as a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer.

The victim has been identified as Ashis Patra (25).

According to Nayapalli police, Balaram Das, the accused, hails from Bhadrak district He had impersonated as an inspector of the CRPF and taken Rs 1.09 lakh from Patra after promising to provide home appliances like fridge, television, washing machine and other items from a Defence canteen in Vishakhapatnam at 50 per cent less than the actual market price.

The accused had taken the amount from Patra on August 22 but failed to get the items.  He had also refused to return the money even after repeated calls by the latter.

Police said the victim reported the matter to police today and acting on the complaint, a case under sections 170 (impersonating a public servant), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC was registered and Balaram was nabbed from the plot number- 124 in Unit-VI area.

Investigation is in progress, the police added.

Police have also seized the fake CRPF identity card having all details like date of birth, service number, EPF number, post held, date of joining and address etc from the accused.