Making friends with a stranger on social media platform proved a youth dear as the former disguised as a girl duped him of over Rs 7 lakh.
The accused Pabitra Mohan Mohanty had befriended Jagadish Padhi of Semiliguda on Facebook in 2017. After chatting online, the duo shared nude pictures among themselves.
Later, Mohanty started blackmailing Padhi by threatening that he would reveal it to his uncle who is posted as DCP, Cuttack.
“The accused demanded money from the victim or else he would implicate him in cases,” said Semiliguda PS IIC, Dhiren Kumar Behera.
The victim buckled under pressure and started transferring money to Mohanty’s account. Over a period of two years, Padhi transferred Rs 7.13 lakh, Behera added.
Mohanty demanded another Rs 57,000. Padhi was financially drained by then. His uncle became highly suspicious of his activities and reported the matter to police. When grilled by his uncle, he spilled the beans.
Then, his uncle filed a complaint in the police station,” the cop said.
Mohanty had created a fake profile on Facebook in the name of “Debasmita”.
As per Padhi’s uncle, his nephew had attempted to commit suicide thrice in the past over the matter.
Mohanty, working as an electrical engineer in Pune, hails from Damanjodi. Padhi runs a pharmacy shop in Semiliguda town. Mohanty was arrested and forwarded to court on Saturday.
