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Odisha Police Nab Fraudsters Who Duped Wealthy Builders and Mine Owners

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha police on Monday arrested a notorious con woman and her accomplice on Monday for swindling builders, mine owners, and businessmen out of crores of rupees.

The woman, who allegedly claimed to have close connections with influential bureaucrats and politicians in Odisha and New Delhi, deceived her victims by promising to secure tenders and approvals for deals through her alleged network.

The con woman was identified as 38-year-old Hansita Abhilipsa, a resident of Kandhamal district in Odisha. Her accomplice, Anil Mohanty, a resident of Bhubaneswar, was also arrested. The two presented themselves as a married couple and operated from a luxurious office on Infocity-Nandankanan Road in Bhubaneswar, where they carried out their fraudulent activities.

Hansita's method was simple yet effective: she manipulated photographs of high-ranking officials to convince victims that she had access to powerful figures. She used doctored images featuring prominent people, including former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Girish Murmu and Odisha's Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, to lend credibility to her false promises of getting tenders approved.

Hansita also often claimed to be the daughter of P.K. Mishra, the Principal Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, further reinforcing her supposed connections. She targeted wealthy businessmen, especially those in the mining and construction sectors, and sometimes posed as the wife of influential individuals to win her victims' trust.

Following a complaint from a mine owner, the Bhubaneswar Commissionerate police launched an investigation and arrested Hansita and Anil from the Patia area of Bhubaneswar. The two were later presented before the court.

Police suspect that more people may have fallen victim to their scam and have expanded their investigation.

“We believe that other victims may have been targeted by this duo. We encourage anyone who has been deceived to come forward and file a complaint,” said Swaraj Debata, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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