Bhubaneswar, Jan. 10: A sub-inspector of police of the Balianta police station has been suspended for allegedly helping a person who has been accused of cheating many government employees.

The Shaheed Nagar police on Sunday arrested 29-year-old Ashok Nayak for allegedly threatening government officials and collecting money from them. Posing himself as a relative of ministers and secretaries, Nayak used to approach low level government employees and used to promise them of getting lucrative postings and collect money. He has been booked under Section 419 (cheating by personation) of the Indian Penal Code.

During the interrogation, the Shaheed Nagar police got to know that sub-inspector Ranjan Sahu, who is working with the Balianta police station, had been helping the accused person in his operation. Pending further enquiry, the sub-inspector had been placed under suspension.

“The sub-inspector was suspended yesterday. We are investigating into his role in the case,” said deputy commissioner of police Himanshu Lal.

Sources said that the accused, who hails from Ghoradiha village under Bolagada police station in Khorda district, used to ring up low ranking officials and offer his help for their transfers to favourable positions. He would pose himself before low-level government employees as a person with contacts at high levels. With the help of the sub-inspector, he allegedly used to convince his victims.