Odisha: ED files money laundering case against conman arrested for marrying 27 women

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a case against Ramesh Swain, considered one of Odisha's biggest imposters, who was arrested last year by state police on charges of marrying 27 women in ten states and defrauding them of lakhs of rupees.

Swain, also known as Bibhu Prakash Swain, was arrested in 2011 on charges of defrauding people in Hyderabad of ₹2 crore by promising seats in MBBS programmes for their children, and in 2006 for allegedly defrauding 13 banks in Kerala of ₹2 crore via 128 forged credit cards.

One of Swain's wives was arrested

Police in Odisha also arrested one of Swain's wives, Dr Kamala Sethi, as well as his stepsister and driver. The Orissa High Court granted bail to all of them.

An ED official told Hindustan Times, the agency is in contact with the state police in order to gain access to the documents seized from the suspect, which would show how the 66-year-old laundered the proceeds of crime over the years.

Swain's financial transactions will be investigated, and the agency may seek his remand for questioning at some point, the official said.

Swain was arrested on February 13 by an Odisha police special squad that had been tracking him for eight months.

Among the women he'married' were an assistant commandant of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, a chartered accountant from Chhatisgarh, a doctor from Assam, two Supreme Court and Delhi High Court advocates, and a Kerala Administrative Service officer.

Published on: Wednesday, April 05, 2023, 01:31 PM IST