Bhubaneswar, September 20: Kandhamal police have arrested Dharmendra Kumar Behera for allegedly posing as a Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) and cheating a woman of Rs 7.18 lakh on the promise of helping her secure a government job and marry her.
The accused, Dharmendra alias Nikhil Kumar Patnaik of Chakapada, allegedly introduced himself as an MVI to gain the trust of the woman and her family.
According to Kandhamal SP Ramendra Prasad, the woman filed a complaint on September 17, stating that she had transferred Rs 7,18,851 through UPIin multiple transactions between June 26, 2025 and January 20.
When she later sought the money back, Behera allegedly stopped responding and switched off his phone.
Police arrested him from Paburia Chhak, where he was allegedly found checking vehicles in a fake MVI uniform. A uniform with nameplate, police raincoat, two vehicles, photographs in uniform, mobile phone, bank passbook and other documents were seized.
Police are investigating whether the accused had cheated others using a similar modus operandi.
