Man poses as Union minister Pradhan’s kin, dupes ex-Armyman

Bhubaneswar: A 40-year-old man, impersonating as a relative of Union petroleum and natural gas ninister Dharmendra Pradhan, was on Tuesday arrested in Odisha capital on the charge of duping a retired Armyman on the pretext of getting him a job with a government organisation

The accused was identified as Joyti Ranjan Pradhan, a native of Ghantapara area in Angul district. Incidentally, the Union minister also belongs to the same district.

According to the police, the accused had taken around Rs 7 lakh from Brundaban Pradhan, an ex-Armyman from Talcher (in Angul district) to arrange a job for him at the Mahanadi Coalfield Limited (MCL).

The ex-Armyman had lodged a complaint with Mancheswar police on August 2 after realising he has been cheated.

Acting as per the complaint, the police arrested the accused on Tuesday.