TV
A major fake gold racket was busted by police on Thursday in Nilagiri locality of Odisha’s Balasore district, where fraudsters allegedly duped a man of Rs 16 lakh by selling brass bricks disguised as gold.
Also Read: Fake gold mortgage fraud: Woman duped of Rs 12K in Odisha
The key accused, a local conman from Nilagiri, has been arrested in a joint operation by the Nilagiri and Bramhapur police. Acting on a complaint filed by a victim, police launched a swift investigation and tracked the accused near a forested area between Nilagiri and Bramhapur, where the fraudulent deal reportedly took place.
During the crackdown, police seized a mobile phone showroom believed to be connected to the huge scam, confiscated motorcycles, and detained several suspects for interrogation. The SDPO confirmed that questioning is ongoing, and more arrests are likely.
The accused lured victims with claims of selling gold bricks at cheap rates, only to deliver brass bars painted to resemble gold. The operation has exposed a well-planned network of fraudsters operating across the region.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious gold deals immediately.
No comments were received from either Nilagiri or Bramhapur police in this regard.
Earlier in another incident, a woman had become a victim of a fraud involving counterfeit gold jewellery in Reddy Sahi locality under Patapur police limits in Ganjam district.
The victim, identified as Kalyani Reddy, had reported that an unknown woman visited her house seeking a loan and offering a gold ornament as collateral. Despite initial hesitation, Kalyani agreed and provided her with Rs 12,000 in return for the jewellery.
“A woman approached me for money and gave me a fake gold ornament as a mortgage. Later, when I went to a jewellery shop to verify the ornament’s purity, the shop owner said it was an impure one,” Kalyani had expressed to OTV.
Upon later examination, Kalyani had realised that the jewellery was counterfeit. She had then lodged a complaint with the local police.
