Odisha man arrested for using fake identities to exploit middle-aged women

Bhubaneswar, Sept 13: The Cyber Crime unit of the Odisha Crime Branch has apprehended Biranchi Narayan Nath from Chhendipada, Angul district, for allegedly sexually and financially exploiting several middle-aged women.

Nath, who used aliases such as Manas Ratha and Pravakar Srivastav, created fake profiles on matrimonial websites, presenting himself as various professionals, including a Railway employee, Income Tax Inspector, or Customs Officer. He targeted unmarried, separated, widowed, or divorced women, initially approaching them through the website, then progressing to phone calls and home visits.

He manipulated his victims emotionally, promising support for their children and companionship. Many women, drawn to his false profile, fell victim to his schemes. Nath performed marriage rituals with multiple victims at temples and lived with them but never took them to his own residence.

In addition, Nath secretly recorded intimate moments and took nude photos and videos of the victims through video calls. He extorted money, gold, and valuables from them by threatening to release their private content on social media if they did not comply with his demands.

One of his recent victims, a woman from Cuttack who lost her husband in a 2022 accident, registered for a second marriage on a matrimonial site in October 2023. She was contacted by Nath, who posed as Pravakar Srivastav, claiming to be a Railway TTI. After visiting her home and emotionally manipulating her, Nath secretly recorded nude videos during video calls. He forced her into physical relationships, extracted around Rs 5 lakh and 32 grams of gold, and physically assaulted her when she resisted.

The victim reported the abuse after discovering Nath's involvement with other women. The Cyber Crime unit registered a case under the IT Act on September 12 and, following an investigation, arrested Nath. He faces several charges across various police stations in Odisha and has been linked to similar crimes in states including Rajasthan, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi. Significant evidence, including private photos and fake IDs, has been recovered and is being analyzed to determine his involvement in other cases.