Bhubaneswar, June 10: The growing number of cheating cases in the capital has thrown police and the citizens into a tizzy. In last 5-6 days three such cases were reported in the city and the law enforcement agencies arrested an equal number of persons in connection with these cases.

A senior police officer admitted that the number of such cases has risen. Sources said 53 cases of swindling were reported in the first months of 2011, as compared to 29 such cases in the same period in 2010.

But the police admit that they can do little in preventing such cases unless people become aware.

“Whenever we get such cases, we try to detect the culprits as fast as possible. Our detection rate is high in swindling cases with 91 per cent in 2010 in comparison to 76 per cent in 2009,” said a senior police officer.

According to the officer, as the city is developing, people from various places are coming here to make a living. While some are getting involved in such fraudulent activities to earn easy and fast money, others are becoming victims.

In certain cases land mafias lure people for a piece of land and persuade them to invest in their real estate business. Many people who had invested all their savings found out that they had been duped.

Sociologists believe normally middle-aged people, who have been rejected in life, commit such crimes by using their earlier networks. “Growing materialism, quest for easy and fast money lead these people commit such crimes,” said sociologist D.N. Jena.

The police said these cases come to their notice very late, either after the accused starts playing hide-and-seek with the victims or has already escaped from the city.

RECENT INCIDENTS

June 5: Kharavel Nagar police arrest Shakti Ranjan Dash for duping job aspirants of more than Rs 50lakh

May 23: Kumaramani Meher arrested from Jarasingh area in Bolangir for allegedly cheating people of more than Rs 1crore claiming to provide them jobs and bank loans

May 11: Mancheswar police arrest a builder for allegedly cheating a senior citizen of Rs 6lakh after promising to provide him a plot of land

April 8: Dimpli Jena from Calcutta arrested after cheating more than 20 people in Orissa after promising to provide them jobs

December 27: Saheed Nagar police arrest Oriya film producer Tribeni Mohanty for cheating people of more than Rs 30crore promising them good interest if they invest in his company. He also promised to provide them plots of land in Bhubaneswar