Berhampur: A 47-year-old rice trader from Andhra Pradesh was arrested by Odisha police for allegedly cheating a rice mill owner of Rs 77 lakh in Ganjam district.The accused, a resident of Tanuku in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, was arrested near Girisola in the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border area, a senior police officer said.Verma had allegedly purchased rice worth Rs 77 lakh from the rice mill owner of Pitatali village in Ganjam district around five years ago and did not pay the money.Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted raids in the border area and arrested the accused person,said Berhampur Superintendent of Police Dr Saravana Vivek M.According to the police, two persons from Andhra Pradesh, including the accused, had approached the proprietor of a rice mill at Pitatali, a border village in Odisha-Andhra Pradesh, about five years ago to purchase rice from the mill. They also assured the proprietor that they would procure the rice from the mill regularly.They had also purchased the rice for some days by paying the money instantly.Thereafter, they purchased rice worth Rs 77.26 lakh from the mill on credit by assuring its proprietor to pay the money soon. They, however, did not pay the money, the police said after a preliminary inquiry.The proprietor of the mill had lodged an FIR at the Golanthara police station against the accused persons on November 6 last year.The police have seized all the documents relating to the supply of rice to the accused persons, from time to time, the inspector-in-charge of the Golanthara police station, Bibekanand Swain, said.He said they have also identified the second person involved in the cheating case. The search was on to nab him, he added.
