Bhubaneshwar: A retired Army officer, recipient of gallantry award, has been arrested from New Delhi on charges of duping people of over Rs 30 crore by promising them land on the outskirts of the state capital, police said.
“Lt Col (Retd) Rakesh Rana and his accomplices duped serving and retired defence personnel of crores of rupees by promising to provide land,” Crime Branch Special DG, B K Sharma told reporters here today.
He was yesterday arrested from New Delhi by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police’s Crime Branch and brought here on transit remand after being produced in a court in New Delhi, Sharma said.
Rana, a recipient of Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award, had floated an NGO — Sainik Welfare Organisation India — at Dwarka in New Delhi, he said, adding, “In 2011, the organisation promised to provide land by July, 2012 at Bhubaneswar’s Giringaput Mouza under a scheme.”
However, the investors were neither provided land nor their money was refunded. Subsequently, in July, 2015 a case was registered with the EOW in this regard, Sharma said.
In this connection, two other persons identified as Purna Chandra Panda and Pradipta Kumar Barik, have already been arrested, the Special DG added.