Cuttack, Odisha:The Cuttack Cyber Police have successfully busted a ₹88 lakh sextortion racket, arresting five individuals and continuing their hunt for the prime accused, Saroj Kumar Jena.
Investigators stated that Saroj, along with his associates, first contacted the victim via Facebook in January 2025. They gained the victim’s trust through repeated meetings at Roxy Hotel, Sagar Hotel, and Jagabandhu Hotel under false assurances.
In May 2025, the victim transferred ₹1.48 lakh for alleged medical treatment, which Saroj returned within two months to strengthen trust. Subsequently, he demanded money again, claiming it was for his daughter’s treatment. When the victim refused, the accused devised a sextortion plan.
The criminals made a WhatsApp video call involving a nude woman, secretly recorded the footage, and then blackmailed the victim, threatening to circulate the video on social media. Under continuous pressure, the victim transferred large sums of money, amounting to ₹88 lakh.
Under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, a special team led by ACP Satyajit Das conducted coordinated raids. On January 19, four accused from Jajpur and one from Bhubaneswar were arrested:
Manoj Kumar Jena (27), Jajpur
Prafulla Kumar Biswal (65), Jajpur
Sangram Jena (22), Jajpur
Basudev Rout (25), Jajpur
Manaranjan Routray (60), Bhubaneswar
Police seized ₹14,00,460 in cash, 16 silver coins, gold ornaments including earrings, rings, chains, and mangalsutra, along with a TVS iQube scooter and a Royal Enfield Bullet. Over ₹5 lakh was frozen in bank accounts, with additional accounts under verification.
The special team continues raids to apprehend Saroj Kumar Jena and dismantle the wider network. All arrested individuals are being forwarded to court for judicial proceedings.
