Berhampur: Berhampur Cyber Police arrested an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Excise Department on charges of fraud, cheating and blackmailing a young girl.
The arrested ASI has been identified as Surendra Pradhan, who is currently posted at Athamallik Excise Police Station in Angul district.
According to the girl, Surendra Pradhan during his three year’s posting at Berhampur Excise Intelligence Office came across her on Instagram and proposed her.
As gradually their relationship got stronger, Pradhan took some intimate photos of the girl by promising to marry her. However, later he blackmailed her threatening to circulate her absence photos if she does not give him money.
As claimed by the victim, who is in severe depression, the Excise ASI even has extorted Rs 40,000 from her which she paid through PhonePe. As he continued to blackmail her, she reported the matter to the Berhampur Cyber Police.
Based on the girl’s complaint, Berhampur Cyber Police initiated an investigation and arrested Pradhan today and forwarded him to the court.