Balaram Das

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 29: A 29-year-old man was today arrested for allegedly duping a person of Rs 1.09 lakh by impersonating as an inspector of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Police today picked up Balaram Das, a native of Bhadrak, from Nayapalli. He is alleged to have cheated Asish Patra, a resident of Sunderpada in the city, after promising him household articles at cheaper price from the CRPF canteen.

The police said the accused, now staying in Ganganagar area, got introduced to Patra through one of his friends. During their interaction, Das claimed to be an inspector of CRPF. He was also wearing a uniform.

“The victim’s sister got married on August 22. Das had promised Patra to buy television and refrigerator at 50 per cent less than the market price from the canteen. Das took the money but did not provide the items. When Patra failed to contact the accused, he lodged a complaint with Nayapalli police station,” said a police official.

The cops have seized uniform and a fake identity card showing the accused as an inspector with CRPF.

“The accused was arrested under Sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of Indian Penal Code,” said inspector in-charge of Nayapalli police station Suryamani Pradhan.

On September 15, a 35-year-old B.Com graduate was arrested for impersonating as an inspector of Central Bureau of Investigation. The police had seized a fake identity card from the accused identified as Satyajit Panda alias Rajat Kumar Panda.

In a similar incident, in August, Badagada police arrested Adarsh Kumar Parida, 24, for allegedly duping bus drivers by posing as a sub-inspector at Kalpana Square.