Bhubaneswar, June 8: A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a young woman who had approached him for assistance in connection with a financial fraud case. The incident reportedly took place at a hotel in the Pipili area of Puri district.
The accused has been identified as Jitu alias Himansu Samal, a resident of the Badchana area in Jajpur district. He was apprehended by Dhauli police following a complaint lodged by the 23-year-old victim, a job aspirant from Bhubaneswar.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena said the victim and her mother approached Dhauli police station and reported the alleged sexual assault.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that the incident occurred in a hotel under the Pipili area of Puri district. Given the sensitive nature of the case and on humanitarian grounds, we decided to register the case at Dhauli police station instead of transferring it to Pipili police station. An investigation was immediately initiated to ensure justice for the victim,” the DCP said.
According to police, the woman had earlier come into contact with an individual who promised to arrange a job for her and allegedly collected ₹30,000. Investigators found that the same person had reportedly duped several others, with money from multiple victims being routed through the woman’s bank account.
Concerned about possible legal complications, the victim and her mother sought assistance from Jitu Samal. Police alleged that Samal exploited the situation by impersonating a police officer. Using an unidentified phone number, he allegedly contacted the woman and her mother, warning them about the financial fraud case and creating fear regarding potential police action.
Taking advantage of their distress, Samal allegedly convinced the victim that he would help her file a complaint. He reportedly took her to a hotel in Pipili under the pretext of visiting a police station. However, instead of facilitating the complaint process, he allegedly kept her in the hotel room and sexually assaulted her during the night against her will.
Police further stated that the accused threatened the victim the following morning, warning her against revealing the incident and allegedly threatening to implicate her in the financial fraud matter.
Acting on the complaint, a Dhauli police team led by the Inspector-in-Charge tracked down and arrested the accused while he was allegedly attempting to evade arrest. He has been taken into custody, and further investigation into the case is underway, police said.
