Odisha EOW Arrests Fraudster Who Duped SI Aspirants of Rs 1.47 Crore
In a major breakthrough, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested a notorious fraudster, Chatur Kalia alias Kalindi Rout, from Pune.
Kalia had allegedly duped several police sub‑inspector (SI) job aspirants in 2021, collecting over Rs 1.47 crore by posing as officials from the Home Department and promising employment.
Investigations revealed that Kalia, along with his associates, lured unsuspecting candidates by introducing themselves as influential government officials.
Prior to this arrest, the EOW had already apprehended three of his accomplices — Baikuntha Nath Naik from Nabarangpur, Bhimsen Maharana from Bhubaneswar, and Jayant Mohanty from Balasore.
Kalia had earlier been arrested in connection with the case but absconded after being released on bail. He managed to evade capture for years by living under a hidden identity in Pune.
A special EOW team tracked his movements and finally succeeded in nabbing him.
He has since been brought back to Odisha, produced before a court, and remanded in custody for further interrogation.
The EOW suspects more accomplices may be involved in the syndicate and is probing deeper into the network.
Officials have urged job seekers to remain vigilant against employment scams, warning that no legitimate recruitment process involves monetary transactions. “If anyone demands money in exchange for job promises, report it immediately to the police or EOW,” advised an official.
