Sambalpur: The Cyber Police in Sambalpur, Odisha, have taken into custody two sisters and their brother for reportedly defrauding a bank official of Rs 25 lakh by creating a fictitious Facebook identity and promising to double his investment.
The siblings, identified as Rajkumari Badi (24), Jharana Badi (32), and Rajesh Badi (38), are originally from Babupada in Jharsuguda but were residing in a rented place in Sainpali, under the jurisdiction of the Ainthapali police.
According to Sambalpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo, the trio learned various fraudulent techniques by watching YouTube videos.
The investigation began after Lipak Kumar Pradhan, a branch manager for Bharti AXA Life Insurance in Raurkela, filed a complaint in June 2026.
As per police reports, the suspects befriended their victim using a bogus Facebook account named ‘Disha Agrawal’. After establishing trust through online conversations, they claimed to have a special machine that could double currency notes. To further entice the victim, they arranged a live demonstration of the money-doubling process at a hotel in Sambalpur. Believing the act, the victim withdrew Rs 25 lakh from a home loan and met the trio at a hotel in Anugola.
During the meeting, the accused distracted the victim by pretending to retrieve a forgotten USB drive and motorcycle keys, allowing them to swap the victim’s bag containing the cash with another bag before making their escape.
Following the victim’s complaint, the Sambalpur Cyber Police opened a case and began an investigation led by a Cyber DSP and Inspector. The police successfully located and arrested the suspects in Jharsuguda.
Authorities recovered Rs 15.80 lakh in cash and gold ornaments worth around Rs 12 lakh, which were either purchased with the embezzled funds or redeemed from Muthoot Finance.
Initial investigations revealed that the group had previously defrauded another individual in Rourkela of Rs 10 lakh using similar tactics. The police are continuing their investigation into the matter.
