Bhubaneswar: The Infocity police here on Sunday arrested a man on charges of duping nearly 250 businessmen of around Rs 3 crore by posing as the son of a former Lok Sabha MP.The accused, identified as Sachidananda Bhoi (51) of Bargarh district, had floated a company in Bhubaneswar’s Patia area last year, promising franchise opportunities for doorstep car‑repair services. Police said he lured investors with the scheme, collected large sums and then shut down the office before disappearing.“Our investigation shows he cheated about 250 people who together invested close to Rs 3 crore. He fraudulently gained their trust by claiming to be the son of former MP Krupasindhu Bhoi. The accused even misappropriated his employees’ salaries,” said ACP (zone‑VI) Manas Ranjan Pradhan.Following complaints from several victims, the Infocity police registered a cheating case against him on Oct 15, 2025. Bhoi had been absconding since then. He was tracked down and arrested from the Kharibari police station area in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, while allegedly planning to escape to Nepal.“During investigation, we found his alleged involvement in seven other cheating cases — six in Bhubaneswar and one in Jharsuguda district. An NBW was also pending against him in Jharsuguda,” the ACP said.
