Police here arrested four persons on Thursday for duping women of several self help groups (SHG) in Kalahandi district.

They were identified as Laxman Tandi,  Tanurjaya Bhoi, Sanatan Shah and Sonu Tandi, all from Kalahandi district. The manager of the institution, Dinabandhu Kumar, a native of Balangir district, was absconding.

According to sources, the accused had opened an office at Mandarbagicha pada of Bhawanipatna, posing them as agents of eGram Kendra which was found fake during police investigation.

The eGram Kendra, initiated by the Government of India,  provides all the Government and banking services to the rural people. The services include new PAN card, account opening, insurance, travel and loan services.

The agents assured the women of Narla block of providing all the facilities. They took Rs 500 from each woman but did not provide any passbook to them. A victim, Mamata Goud, told the media that the agents told the SHG groups to provide loans between Rs 50,000 and Rs 80,000.

Bhawanipatna Town IIC Basudev Chhatria said that the women were not given any money receipt. Police contacted the private bank of Bhawanipatna where no such accounts were opened in the name of women.

Sources informed that the fake agents had downloaded the account opening form from the bank website and made colour Xerox copies.

The IIC said the accused had already collected  money from 110 women of different SHG groups. A section of women suspected the agents and registered an FIR with the police. The police raided the office and seized Rs 21,000 along with a laptop.

Kalahandi SP Battula Gangadhar said there are so many persons involved in the case and further investigation is on. All the accused will be forwarded to the SDJM Court,  Bhawanipatna under Section 420 and 34 (IPC), he added.