Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: A 47-year-old man, Byasadev Rana, was arrested for impersonating a Section Officer of the Panchayati Raj Department and duping individuals by promising government jobs. Rana, originally from Narla in Kalahandi district, had been residing in the Ekamra area of Bhubaneswar.

Using forged identity cards and a fake government pass, Rana gained unauthorized access to the Lok Seva Bhavan, where he presented himself as a government official. Leveraging his false identity, he extorted money from job seekers, promising them lucrative government positions.

One victim, a youth from Pipili in Puri district, was defrauded of Rs 20 lakh in installments. When Rana failed to deliver on his promises, the victim lodged a complaint at the Capital Police Station.

Based on the complaint, police arrested Rana near the gate of Lok Seva Bhavan on Friday. He was later forwarded to court. Investigators are currently delving deeper into the case to identify potential accomplices and additional victims.

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