A fake journalist was arrested by the Badagada police here on Saturday for allegedly misbehaving with a minor girl by impersonating as a police officer.
The accused Manoj Kumar Mohanty hails from Koraput district. Police also apprehended his associate in connection with the case.
Mohanty, who was residing in Badagada, called up a minor girl by introducing himself as the IIC of Khandagiri police station and asked her to visit a place near Jayadev Vihar to meet him. When she asked the reason, Mohanty proposed her for love. After she turned down his proposal, he started misbehaving with her using vulgar language.
The girl lodged a complaint with the Khandagiri police, following which a probe was launched and police found Mohanty as an imposter and seized an identity card issued to him by a news organisation. However, the news organisation denied to have appointed him.
“Manoj Mohanty, who has been arrested by police, is not an employee of our organisation,” said Pradeepta Sahu, HR coordinator of IYA News.
Mohanty and his associate were sent to the Jharpada jail after their bail applications were rejected by court.