The Commissionerate Police in Bhubaneswar apprehended two individuals, including a woman, for allegedly deceiving a local couple of approximately Rs 90 lakh. The accused, identified as Nilima Satpathy and Manoj Kumar Satpathy, enticed the victims to invest in an online dollar trading scheme with promises of significant returns.
The case was filed at Nayapalli police station based on a complaint by Samarjit Baliarsingh, who claimed that the accused induced him to invest in the trading business by assuring profits amounting to Rs 1.30 crore in six months. Baliarsingh, who had a prior acquaintance with Nilima, and his wife were convinced to invest between February and July 2025.
Investigations revealed that the couple invested a total of Rs 97,28,700 in multiple installments, expecting lucrative returns. Despite an initial partial repayment by the accused, the remaining Rs 89,33,700 was not returned despite repeated requests. The accused resorted to misleading tactics, including fake documents and excuses about banking issues, to avoid repayment.
The police seized various pieces of evidence, including bank statements, WhatsApp conversations, and post-dated cheques, which substantiated the financial transactions and the promises made by the accused. Following the probe, the police arrested the accused duo, who reportedly confessed to their involvement in the fraudulent scheme.
