Odisha IAS Officer Aradhana Das Faces Fraud Case Over Rs 95 Lakh Land Deal Gone Wrong
IAS officer Aradhana Das allegedly took Rs 95 lakh, promising land, and then issued death threats.
An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has been accused of cheating a man of ₹95 lakh and later issuing death threats, according to police officials in Odisha’s Cuttack district. Aradhana Das, currently serving as an Additional Secretary in the state Home Department, is at the centre of the allegations, which have triggered a formal investigation.
The complainant, Kamal Kumar Bhawsinka, a differently-abled individual, has alleged that Das took the money under the pretext of facilitating the purchase of land in the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) area. However, the promised land was never provided, and the funds were neither returned nor accounted for, leading to accusations of fraud and breach of trust.
According to the complaint, payments were made on multiple occasions through bank transactions by Bhawsinka’s wife, Beena Bhawsinka, with some portion of the amount reportedly paid in cash. The transactions were routed via the Bank of India, and an investigation report has confirmed that a sum of ₹95 lakh was transferred in connection with the alleged land deal.
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A case has been registered at the local police station, and authorities have begun a detailed probe into the matter. Officials said that Das has allegedly not cooperated with the investigation so far, prompting further administrative steps to be considered by the police and concerned departments.
The Commissionerate of Police has written to the state Home Department and the General Administration Department seeking approval to initiate formal action against the officer, as required under service rules governing IAS officials. Such procedural clearance is mandatory before any legal proceedings can be formally pursued against a serving officer.
In addition to financial fraud, Das has also been accused of issuing abusive and life-threatening warnings to the complainant. The case has raised serious concerns about accountability within public service, and authorities have assured that appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
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