On Sunday, the Odisha Police's Special Task Force (STF) detained a Ph.D. holder on allegations of forgery, fraud, and extortion while assuming the identity of a vigilance officer.
Manoj Kumar Majhi, a resident of Phulbari village in Krushnaprasad block of Puri district, has been identified as the culprit. He also holds an MSc in chemistry from Sambalpur University. According to STF sources, Majhi demanded money from 15 people, including engineers, senior administrative officers, and officials at the district level.
A second chief engineer said, Majhi impersonated the superintendent of police (vigilance) and demanded Rs 1 crore from him leading to his arrest. The accused's home was then searched by STF agents on Saturday.
A senior STF official said, “During interrogation, the accused admitted that he was trying to extort money from various government officials as well as some contractors by presenting himself as a senior vigilance officer. It has also been ascertained that the accused had cheated some persons by promising to arrange government jobs”. Further probe is underway.
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