Sachidananda Bhoi, a 51-year-old resident of Bargarh district, Odisha, was arrested on Sunday by Infocity Police, Bhubaneswar, for allegedly defrauding around 200 to 250 people of over ₹3 crore by impersonating the son of a former Lok Sabha MP and posing as the CEO of an auto-tech company. Police tracked him down to a hideout near the India-Nepal border in Darjeeling district, West Bengal.

How the Fraud Was Carried Out

Bhoi allegedly set up an office of Go Speedy Go (HIFERK Technologies Pvt Ltd), an on-demand doorstep vehicle servicing company, at Patia in Bhubaneswar. Presenting himself as the firm's CEO and director, he also opened additional offices at Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar and in Ganjam district.

According to police, Bhoi lured people into purchasing company franchises by promising full business support, assured returns, and guaranteed profits. He also hired employees with assurances of regular salaries. Franchise fees collected from individual investors ranged between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh per person.

Scale of the Alleged Misappropriation

Investigators found that Bhoi allegedly siphoned approximately ₹2.30 crore collected from franchise holders and diverted around ₹63 lakh that was meant for employee salaries. Neither the promised franchise services were delivered, nor were salaries paid to staff. He subsequently shut down his offices and went into hiding.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Zone-VI, Manas Ranjan Pradhan, confirmed that complaints have been received from roughly 200 to 250 people, with the total alleged fraud amount exceeding ₹3 crore.

The Arrest and Legal Proceedings

Following sustained investigation, Infocity Police located Bhoi near the India-Nepal border in the Kharibari Police Station area of Darjeeling district. He was produced before a local court in Siliguri and subsequently brought to Odisha on transit remand. The Commissionerate Police intends to seek further remand for a deeper investigation into the case.

Prior Cases and Broader Investigation

Investigators discovered that Bhoi was already named in several other cases registered with the Crime Branch Police Station, the Special Crime Unit, Sahid Nagar, Pahal Police Station, and the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jharsuguda. The pattern suggests a serial operator who exploited trust networks — particularly targeting his own employees and urging them to rope in family members as franchisees.

Notably, Bhoi also allegedly impersonated the son of former MP Krupasindhu Bhoi to lend credibility to his operations, according to ACP Pradhan. As the investigation widens, police are expected to examine the full scope of his activities across multiple districts.