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A man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly cheating Odisha’s Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister in a Rs 25 lakh land fraud case. Police have confirmed the arrest of the prime accused, Niranjan Satapathy, after a detailed investigation.
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According to police sources, a case of fraud surfaced involving the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, who was allegedly cheated in a land scam worth around Rs 25 lakh. The accused, identified as Niranjan Satapathy, has now been arrested by the police.
Satapathy had promised the minister a piece of land in return for a hefty amount. However, after receiving the money, he neither transferred the land nor returned the funds. Following complaints, police launched a probe that led to his arrest.
Officials clarified, this was a personal financial transaction and not linked to the minister’s official duties. Still, the incident has raised eyebrows, especially considering the high-profile nature of the victim.
The arrest has brought some relief to the complainant, while a further probe is underway to check if others were also duped in a similar manner by the accused.
“After getting the complaint, we had started a prima facie investigation. Subsequently, we carried out a detailed investigation into the allegations. Earlier in the day, accused Niranjan Satapathy was brought to the police station. Based on the probe, he has been arrested and forwarded to court,” Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar said to mediapersons.
When contacted, the Minister stated, “It is an old case – a matter of around 4-5 years ago. I was in a company as its Director. Business transactions were being done in the company. Money was given to the man (accused) to purchase land.”
