Maoist imposter attempts to extort Odisha MLA, arrested

Odisha Sun Times Bureau  
Nayagarh, Jun 1:  

Odisha Police yesterday arrested a man for impersonating himself as a Maoist and attempting to extort money from Daspalla MLA Purna Chandra Nayak.

According to the police, the man – identified as Sushant Nayak — a resident of Nuagaon block of Nayagarh district, had been making repeated call to MLA Nayak asking him to pay Rs 25 lakh.

20-year old and class-VII educated Sushant confessed to the crime upon being grilled by the police following his arrest.

“He identified himself as a member of the red brigade and demanded Rs 25 lakh from the MLA. We have seized the SIM card and mobile phone used to make the calls. The accused has confessed to the crime. An FIR has been lodged at the Daspalla police station under Sec 385, 387, 506, 419, 467 of IPC and Sec 66 of IT Act. Nayagarh SDPO is investigating the incident,” said Nayagarh SP Manoranjan Mohanty.

The police, however, ruled out his direct connections with the Maoists.

Speaking to reporters Sushant said that he made the calls to address his family issues.

“I have a sick mother at home. All our land has been mortgaged. I needed some money and that is why made the calls to the MLA. I neither have any connection with the Maoists nor do I know much about them,” said Sushant.

Notably, he earlier managed to extort Rs 25,000 from the Kalasakhamana Samiti Sabhya by sending him a letter identifying himself as a member of the red brigade.