"How the Odisha conman who duped over 50 women was caught in his own web."

In Bhubaneswar, the police arrested 34-year-old Satyajit Managobind Samal for allegedly scamming at least 50 women in the state, many of whom were divorced. Samal would reportedly connect with women on matrimonial sites and apps, begin relationships with them, and then deceive them into giving him large sums of money. To catch him, a senior woman police officer posed as one of his victims. Samal was apprehended in an upscale locality in Bhubaneswar, and he is from the state’s Jajpur.
The arrests were made following police complaints from two women. The accused, Samal, reportedly posed as a police officer or an Intelligence Bureau officer on matrimonial sites to connect with potential matches. After gaining their trust, he would ask for large sums of money for a new business and then threaten and blackmail them if they asked for repayment.

According to the police, Samal had marriage agreements with at least four women, including the two who filed complaints. Further investigation revealed that he had been in contact with at least 49 women through the matrimonial app. In addition to the two women who lodged FIRs, the police reached out to two others outside Odisha with whom he had marriage agreements. His targets were primarily divorced women.

Reportedly, Samal used the money to buy cars and lease them to taxi services. He also spent it on maintaining a luxurious lifestyle and frequently traveling to Dubai.

“Since the accused used to fly to Dubai frequently, it was a challenge for us to arrest him,” Panda said.
Investigations began after a woman lodged a complaint at Bhubaneswar’s Capital Police Station on February 26.
In her complaint, the woman claimed she had got in touch with Samal through a matrimonial site and that he eventually “forced” her to have a sexual relationship with him “on the promise of a marriage”. He then allegedly began demanding money.
The complainant alleges that she lent him a total of Rs 36 lakh, including a new car, by taking loans from various banks. When she demanded repayment, he allegedly threatened her.

The second complaint, also registered in Bhubaneswar, is similar, with the complainant stating that the loaned amount was roughly Rs 11 lakh. According to police sources, the senior woman officer pretended to be seeking a prospective partner on a matrimonial site and chatted with Samal for three months. Once she became friendly with him, she asked to meet him and sought his address. When he gave it, the police arrested him. "We have arrested the accused with sufficient evidence of cheating and other allegations mentioned in the FIR. We are trying to locate his other victims and get them to join the investigation," said a senior police officer.

Purported videos and chats with victims have been found on the suspect’s phone, the officer said, adding that there are allegations that he threatened some women with a weapon.

Police said they have seized cash worth Rs 2.1 lakh, a four-wheeler, a Bullet motorcycle, one small arm and other ammunition, three mobile phones, and two marriage certificates. They also froze bank accounts with Rs 1.75 lakh cash.