Odisha: Two including former ASI held for extorting people by posing as police officials

Bhubaneswar: The Twin City Commissionerate Police today arrested two persons, including a former cop, for allegedly extorting money from people by posing as police officials.

The accused have been identified as Gyanaranjan Mohanty and Kanhu Charan Sahu. Gyanaranjan was earlier working as an ASI with the Signals branch of the Odisha Police.

A youth had lodged a complaint with the Lingaraj police alleging that the two accused extorted Rs 8,000 from him on February 10 by threatening the victim to arrest him.

The duo had intercepted the youth while he was walking on road. They told him that a case was registered against him and extorted the money on the pretext of dropping his name from the case.

On the basis of the complaint, police carried out investigation and apprehended the two accused.

During further probe, their modus operandi came to fore. They used to pose as police officers and extort money from those walking alone by threatening them with arrest.