Bilaspur, Sep 28 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Police arrested a 34-year-old woman with a criminal past from Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district for allegedly cheating a consultant of more than Rs 82.63 lakh under the pretext of securing him a key post in a national political party, officials said on Monday.
According to police, Bilaspur-based complainant Chetan Anand Dubey came in contact with the woman through social media in 2025.
She allegedly introduced herself as a worker of a national political party and claimed to have close links with senior leaders at the Centre and in the state, police said.
Initially, she allegedly offered to help Dubey resolve a land dispute, which established his trust in her. Later, taking advantage of Dubey’s unemployment and interest in politics, the accused allegedly promised to secure him an important position in the party.
Police said she subsequently collected money from Dubey on various pretexts, including party funds, joining the organisation and documentation-related expenses.
Some of the money was allegedly transferred through the bank accounts of the woman’s acquaintances, while some payments were made in cash. A total of Rs 82,63,194 was allegedly collected from the complainant, police said.
When the promise of political position didn’t materialise, Dubey demanded his money back, police said, adding that the accused threatened him.
She also allegedly threatened to implicate him in false cases if he continued to contact or pressurise her, police said.
On Dubey’s complaint, Sarkanda police registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched an investigation.
A special police team subsequently went to Jhagrakhand and Khongapani in Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district and, with the assistance of local police, took the accused into custody from her house in the Jhagrakhand-Khongapani area.
Police recovered a mobile phone, an Aadhaar card and documents and biodata belonging to the complainant.
Section 119(1) of the BNS was also added to the case after investigators found evidence related to the alleged criminal activities, police said.
The accused was produced before a court in Bilaspur, which remanded her to judicial custody.
Police said that cases had been registered against the woman in the past. These include a 2023 case at Jhagrakhand police station under Sections 294, 34 and 341 of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, besides a case under Section 384 (extortion) and two cases under the Chhattisgarh Gambling Prohibition Act.
A separate case under Section 384 of the IPC was registered against her at Civil Lines police station in Raipur in 2021, police said.
The allegations against the accused are subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. PTI COR NSK
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