Bhubaneswar: The Chandrasekharpur police on Tuesday arrested a 37-year-old man for allegedly deceiving multiple women through matrimonial websites.
The accused, Deeptiraj Pattnaik, is a resident of Niladri Vihar area. Although married with three children, Pattnaik allegedly targeted prospective brides by presenting himself as unmarried. The arrest came after one of the victims filed a complaint recently. She stated that they connected on a matrimonial platform where he portrayed himself as wealthy, leading to several meetings between them in Bhubaneswar. “He claimed ownership of 32 flats in Bhubaneswar and substantial earnings from share trading. He also asserted receiving Rs 8 lakh monthly from his commercial property rentals in the city,” the woman said.
The complainant further stated that he borrowed Rs 1.4 lakh from her for buying a cell phone, claiming his bank cards were blocked. He subsequently returned only Rs 10,905 to her. “He later requested me for another Rs 1 lakh, citing financial difficulties. His request raised doubts in my mind, given his earlier claims of wealth,” the woman added.
She then investigated his background and came to know of his marital status and his links with multiple women on matrimonial platforms. She also came across several photos of women in his phone and his chats with them on his social media accounts.
According to police records, the accused was previously booked in a land dispute case in Bhubaneswar. “We advise other victims to come forward and lodge complaints against him,” a police officer said.