Bhubaneswar. Police have arrested a father-son duo for allegedly cheating a woman of ₹54,201 in an online ticket booking scam linked to cricket match tickets for Barabati Stadium. The accused allegedly used a fake Instagram profile to offer tickets and, in some instances, impersonated a police officer to gain trust and pressure victims.
Fake Instagram Profile Used to Sell Tickets
The accused have been identified as Amit Kumar Jha and his father Ashok Kumar Ojha, 58, residents of Mahaveer Nagar under Lingaraj police limits. Officials said the arrests followed a complaint filed by a woman from the Old Town area of Bhubaneswar.
FCRF Academy Launches Premier Anti-Money Laundering Certification Program
According to the complaint, the victim came in contact with an unknown person on Instagram who claimed to be selling genuine tickets for a high-demand cricket match. Trusting the offer, she transferred ₹54,201 through online payment channels. After receiving the money, the seller allegedly failed to deliver the tickets and stopped responding to calls and messages.
Police Officer Impersonation Under Scanner
During investigation, police found that Amit Kumar Jha allegedly played the main role in the fraud. He is accused of using social media platforms to target potential buyers by posting fake ticket offers at attractive prices.
Investigators said he also allegedly impersonated a sub-inspector and used threats of police action to build credibility and pressure victims. Police are examining chat records, transaction details and other digital evidence collected during the probe.
Money Traced to Father’s Bank Account
Officials said the fraud proceeds were deposited into a bank account linked to Amit’s father, Ashok Kumar Ojha. Investigators are now examining the flow of funds to determine the extent of his involvement and whether others were connected to the racket.
The case came to light after the victim approached Airfield police station with a formal complaint. Based on her statement and digital evidence, police identified and arrested the accused.
Authorities suspect that similar methods may have been used to target more people during high-demand events. Police are scanning social media activity and digital footprints to identify additional victims, and further arrests have not been ruled out.
