By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: During investigation of STF case no 15/2023, it has come to light that the mastermind ofthe Thuggery/ Cheating/ impersonation case namely Kanhu Charan Pradhan was earlier booked in at least 06 cases. Police had seized number of fake Identity Cards from the possession of Kanhu Charan Pradhan. Kanhu Charan Pradhan along with his associates cheated innocent people impersonating themselves as high level Govt. Officials.
They have prepared fake/forged Id Cards and impersonated themselves as senior officers of various departments of Govt of Odisha and Govt of India. Earlier the ID cards seized fromhis possession are as follows:i. Assistant Director (Tech), Director of PS & P, Odisha, Cuttack,ii.Chairman SC & ST Welfare, Home Dept. , Govt. of Odisha,iii.CZM (Special Project) National Highway Authority of India,iv. CCM (Special Project) National Highway Authority of India,v.CCM Project, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.The details of the cases pending against Kanhu Charan Pradhan are as follows:(1)Chandpur PS Case No.37/2020 U/S.147/148/341/323/324/325/326/307/302/395/506/149 IPC.(2) Chandpur PS Case No. 66/2020 U/S-379/279/427/323/353/34 IPC.
In this case accused Kanhu Ch Pradhan impersonated himself as Officer of Home Department Odishaand took Rs.3.6 Lakhs from one person with promise to given Cashew orchard. (3)Chandpur PS Case No. 96/2020 U/S-170/171/406/420/506 IPC. In the instant caseKanhu Pradhan cheated innocent people impersonating himself as Officer of Home Deptt.and closer to police.(4) Chandpur PS Case No. 106/2020 U/S-170/171/406/420/468/471 IPC. In the instant case accused Kanhu Charan Pradhan cheated Head Master, BankanidhidebaVidyapitha with assurance to give grant to their school as Govt. High School giving falseidentity as he was Addl. Home Secy.(5) Chandpur PS Case No.131/2020 U/s.170/171/468/471/420/384/385/120-B/34 IPC.In the instant case while investigating cases, police has seized number of fake ID cardsfrom the possession of accused Kanhu Charn Pradhan who along with his associates cheated innocent people impersonating themselves as high level Govt. Officials.(6) Chandpur PS Case No.133/2020 U/s. 170/171/384/385/34 IPC. In the instant cases accused Kanhu Charan Pradhan by impersonating himself as high Govt. officials forcibly took possession of one foreign liquor shop from the complt. by executing an agreement.
This group is indulging in Thuggery/ Cheating/ impersonation at various places in Odisha.It was also noticed that this group uses some mule bank accounts including someaccounts of dead persons. They trick people by saving their numbers as some senior officers and when people verify it on ‘True-caller” they start trusting them as genuine. People who have been cheated by Kanhu Pradhan or his associates are requested to contact STF on Toll Free no.18003457103 for necessary assistance/ action. Further investigation is on.
