Odisha EOW arrests web news portal owner in cheating case

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Crime Branch’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) yesterday arrested a web news portal owner identified as Surjit Kumar Dhal in a cheating case, EOW sources said today.

Surjit is the son of Ramakanta Dhal, a resident of the Gymkhana Palm Height Apartment near SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar. He owns the web news portal ‘Reporters Today’ and the newspaper ‘Mahabharat’.

EOW arrested the accused from Bhubaneswar in connection with its PS Case No-26, Dated 14.11.2023, U/s 420/467/468/471 of the IPC. He will be produced before a Designated Court under the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (OPID) in Cuttack later in the day.

The case was registered based on a written allegation of one Kalinga Keshari Rath, who has a real estate business, against accused Surjit for cheating him of around Rs 1 crore by using forged documents and also extorting/cheating money impersonating an influential person having huge contacts.

During a detailed probe, it was found that Surjit by giving the impression to the complainant that he is a well-known person in the field of media, impersonating as very influential and having good contacts, and forging several documents such as fake BDA approval, induced the complainant Rath to pay him around Rs 1 crore, which was paid through bank account and in cash at different times.

This apart, Surjit had taken a Mercedes and an Audi sedan from the victim. After knowing about the fraudulence committed by the accused, the complainant asked him to repay the amount taken from him and also to return his above-mentioned two costly cars.

Although the accused Surjit returned the vehicles, he did not return the amount despite several requests. The victim was allegedly threatened by the accused that by using his influence the former will destroy the latter’s business and interests, an EOW press release stated.

A detailed probe into the alleged cheating case is underway.