Title - Railway cops nab wanted conman

An habitual offender, charged in as many as 18 cases of robbery in trains, was nabbed by Government Railway Police (GRP) here on Friday night when he was trying to evade the police.Pradip Mohapatra, who drops names of big shots - ranging from MPs to top police officers - had wrapped himself up in a blanket when his movement raised suspicion. When police searched him, a ladies handbag was recovered.While Mohapatra first gave fake identities to confuse the police, the handbag gave away his story. At least six wallets, five ATM cards, smart card of vehicles, a stolen registration certificate and gold ornaments were recovered from the bag he was carrying.During interrogation, he spilled the truth. According to GRP Inspector-in-charge Smruti Ranjan Kar, Mohapatra was released from a jail in Visakhapatnam on September 10 on charges of burglary from running trains. He moved to Bhubaneswar where he rented a room in Rangila Hotel in Bapujee Nagar area.Mohapatra allegedly stole the cash and other valuables of the guest in the neighbouring room, Kishore Jaiswal.When Jaiswal lodged a complaint with Capital Police, he posed as an executive and the hotel manager had to pay the compensation to Jaiswal.There are at least eight cases against him with Visakhapatnam GRP while four cases have been registered against him in Bhubaneswar.

 Besides, he is wanted in one case of Khurda Road, three in Cuttack and more cases have been lodged against him with Kharavela Nagar, Balianta, Palasa and Nayapalli police stations. Kar said, Mohapatra, handsome and fluent in English, posed as a suave gentleman and conned the travellers.

“We found biscuits and Ativan tablets which were used for sedation. Since he is not an expert, his dosage could even have proved fatal for those who fell a prey to his drugs. We have booked him under serious charges,” he added.

 Recently, he had walked into Hotel Marrion with his wife and kid and had stolen ATM cards and valuables of some guests for which a case was lodged with Kharavela Nagar Police Station. He operated mainly between Howrah and Visakhapatnam and drugged travellers after befriending them.

 In several cases in the past, he had even dropped the name of an MP, used name of senior IPS officers to bully police whenever he was netted and walked away scot free.