Man Held for Cheating Odisha Minister Patra of ₹25 Lakh in Land Scam

Bhubaneswar: A man has been arrested for allegedly cheating Odisha Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra of ₹25 lakh in a fraudulent land deal, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, Niranjan Satpathy, a resident of Banasingh village in Dhenkanal district, was taken into custody and produced before a local court following a complaint lodged by the minister at the Dhenkanal Town Police Station on July 26.

According to police sources, Patra had paid ₹25 lakh to Satpathy in 2021 as an advance payment for a land parcel in the Banasingh area. However, the accused neither handed over the promised land nor returned the money.

Satpathy later issued two cheques as a refund, but both bounced. Despite giving a written assurance to repay the amount, he failed to honor the commitment, prompting the minister to take legal action.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Minister Patra said the transaction had occurred four years ago, when he was serving as a company director, prior to holding public office. “He neither gave me the land nor returned the money. I waited long enough before filing a formal complaint,” Patra said.

Police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the fraud and whether others may be involved.

Man Arrested for Defrauding Odisha Minister Krushna Chandra Patra of ₹25 Lakh in Land Deal

Bhubaneswar – A man has been arrested for allegedly cheating Odisha Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra of ₹25 lakh in a fraudulent land deal, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, Niranjan Satpathy, a resident of Banasingh village in Dhenkanal district, was taken into custody and produced before a local court following a complaint lodged by the minister at the Dhenkanal Town Police Station on July 26.

According to police sources, Patra had paid ₹25 lakh to Satpathy in 2021 as an advance payment for a land parcel in the Banasingh area. However, the accused neither handed over the promised land nor returned the money.

Satpathy later issued two cheques as a refund, but both bounced. Despite giving a written assurance to repay the amount, he failed to honor the commitment, prompting the minister to take legal action.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Minister Patra said the transaction had occurred four years ago, when he was serving as a company director, prior to holding public office. “He neither gave me the land nor returned the money. I waited long enough before filing a formal complaint,” Patra said.

Police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the fraud and whether others may be involved.