BHUBANESWAR – The CBI Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has registered a case against a man for allegedly impersonating a high-ranking official of the agency to defraud a Sundarpada resident of ₹40,000 under the pretext of providing legal assistance.
The Sophisticated Trap
The victim, Prasanna Kumar Pani, was seeking legal counsel regarding an ongoing Vigilance matter when he was introduced to the primary accused, Sambit Mohanty (alias Sukanta Paikaray), through his tenant, Sandhya Mohanty.
To build credibility, Mohanty reportedly employed several deceptive tactics:
- Digital Impersonation: He used the official CBI logo as his WhatsApp display picture and Truecaller identification.
- Fabricated Backstory: He claimed to be a serving officer who had lost his left leg after being shot in the line of duty, adding that the government provided him with a car for his commute.
- Professional Assurance: He promised to arrange an expert lawyer to handle Mr. Pani’s case and requested sensitive documents, including Aadhaar cards and case files, via WhatsApp.
The Financial Deception
Trusting the elaborate facade, the complainant transferred ₹40,000 in two installments (January 7 and 8, 2026) as an “advance lawyer’s fee”. The payments were made via Google Pay UPI to a Paytm account registered under the name “MS DURGA LADIES CORNER“.
Once the funds were received, the suspect’s behavior shifted abruptly. No lawyer was ever provided, and Mohanty began ignoring messages and calls. Despite assurances from the tenant to remain patient, the victim was eventually blocked on all communication platforms on February 15, 2026.
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Investigation and Legal Charges
The fraud came to light when the victim noticed the suspect’s Truecaller ID had been changed to “Rashmiranjan Maharana,” sparking immediate suspicion of a deliberate scam.
Following a written complaint on March 6, 2026, the CBI officially registered an FIR on March 31, 2026. The accused face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the IT Act, 2008, including:
- Section 61(2): Criminal Conspiracy.
- Section 204: Personating a Public Servant.
- Section 318 & 319: Cheating and Dishonestly Inducing Delivery of Property.
- Section 66-D (IT Act): Cheating by personation using computer resources.
The case (RC0152026A0001) has been entrusted to Inspector B.P. Rout for further investigation.
