Bhubaneswar, July 23: Two self-styled journalists and a police constable were arrested today by the Rourkela police for their alleged involvement in a blackmail case.
While one of the journalists claimed to be a TV reporter as well as correspondent of a local weekly published from the steel city, the other was working as a photographer. The trio used to trap influential people using girls and later resort to blackmail and extract money from them.
The trio has been identified as Saroj Kumar Rout, the self-styled reporter, Bijay Kumar Pradahan, the photographer, and Basant Kumar Lenka, a constable of 4th battalion of the Orissa State Armed Police Force. All of the three are 40 years of age.
Police said both Rout and Pradhan claimed to be working for a local TV network and a weekly.
Saroj was active in the field of photography for the past five years. Local newsmen said the self-proclaimed journalists used to be seen occasionally at news conferences with their booms and cameras. “Saroj had also taken an assignment to take photos at the passing out parade of cadets of the Orissa Armed Police Force.” said a senior scribe.
Police laid a trap to arrest the trio and a girl Pinky Sharma, 21, when 56-year-old Kuldip Nayar, a cloth merchant, lodged a complaint that he had been blackmailed by two young girls and two other persons claiming to be scribes.
On July 22, while Nayar was coming to Ambagan to shop, two young women asked for a lift near Birsa Chhak. He dropped both the ladies near Sector 16 of the city. As a gesture of courtesy, the women asked him to sit with them for sometime.
While they were gossiping, the trio arrived there. They alleged that Nayar had been indulged in illegal activities with the ladies and threatened him with dire consequences. They wanted to take their photographs. They assaulted him and snatched away his mobile set, wallet containing Rs 2,700, ATM card, and a gold chain. They even took away his motorcycle.
Rourkela superintendent of police Hiamnshu Lal said: “During the course of investigation, it was ascertained that Pradhan, Rout, Lenka, Pinky and others have formed a gang to loot the influential people. The well-dressed women, namely Pinky Sharma and others were enticing people and requesting lifts. After being dropped, they requested the person to chat with them for sometime. While they talked, Pradhan, Rout and Lenak would arrive and threaten the person. In this case, the criminals even threatened to take the businessman’s photographs and publish those in newspaper.”
The police seized three motorcycles, wallets, six mobile sets, one vanity bag containing Rs 10,000 cash, a pack of condoms, and a TV boom. They have also seized a purse containing the identity cards of Rout.
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