Angul, Odisha: A 30-year-old man was arrested in Angul district on Monday for impersonating an IPS officer and duping a local resident with a fake job promise at Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a major coal-producing company in India and a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL).
MCL is a Miniratna CPSE operating in the coal and lignite sector, under the Ministry of Coal. It’s responsible for coal production in the Odisha region, with its headquarters in Sambalpur.
The accused has been identified as Biranchi Naik, a resident of Kunja village under Khamar police limits.
Accused Posed as IPS Officer Using Uniform, Fake ID
According to police, Biranchi Naik, who is unemployed, had been posing as an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, complete with police uniforms and fake identity cards. He used this false identity to gain trust and extract money from unsuspecting individuals on the pretext of offering jobs in government and PSU sectors.
Job Scam Target: Local Contractor Promised MCL Job
The case came to light after Naik approached a contractor, Mantu Sahu, last month and offered to secure him a job at MCL in Talcher in exchange for a fee. Believing the offer, Sahu paid him Rs 24,000 in two installments, with a promise to pay more after receiving the job confirmation.
However, after repeated delays and no job offer, Naik refused to refund the money, prompting Sahu to lodge a complaint with the Sadar police station on Sunday.
Arrest and Recovery
Acting swiftly, Angul SP Rahul Jain formed a team to investigate the matter. A raid was conducted on Monday at Naik’s rented house in Panchmahala, where he was taken into custody. Police recovered Rs 50,000 in cash and police uniforms used in the impersonation.
“During interrogation, Naik admitted to receiving money from the complainant under false pretenses,” said Inspector-in-Charge of Sadar police station, Mrinalo Kalo.
Legal Action Initiated
Naik was arrested under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating and impersonation. He will be produced in court on Tuesday, police confirmed.
