Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police in the Odisha capital here today arrested a couple on charges of duping a distant relative of over Rs 6 lakh on the promise of facilitating the purchase of a plot at cheaper rate.

The arrested have been identified as Surendra Mohanty (50) and his wife Tapaswini Mohanty (44) of Kalarahanga under Mancheswar police limit in the city here.

According to police, the Mohanty couple had taken Rs 6.30 lakh from Simadri Das, a distant relative, in 2022 to facilitate the purchase of a piece of land at cheaper rate.

However, the couple did to keep their promise. They also did not return the money to Das. The accused couple allegedly hurled expletives at Das and threatened her with dire consequences when the latter sought her money back.

The accused had also served a fake legal notice on the victim to frighten her, said the cops.

The victim had lodged a complaint in this regard with Nandankanan police in 2023. The cops had registered a case against the couple under Sections 420, 294 and 506 and 34 of the IPC and initiated a probe in this regard.

The accused couple was arrested today. They have confessed to the crime during interrogation, police said.