Odisha Businessman Kidnapped Over 'Miracle' Hanuman Coin, Woman Sub-Inspector Among Those Arrested

A businessman in Odisha's Balangir was abducted and held hostage over a 'rare' coin bearing Lord Hanuman's image, prompting police to arrest a woman sub-inspector and a journalist among the key conspirators.

A bizarre extortion plot in Odisha's Balangir district has ended with police busting a gang that kidnapped a businessman at gunpoint, all over a centuries-old coin supposedly bearing the image of Lord Hanuman. Investigators have arrested the key conspirators, including a serving woman sub-inspector and a journalist, for orchestrating the abduction and staging fake evidence.

The Hanuman coin con
For years, a network operating across western Odisha has preyed on superstition by trading old copper or brass coins engraved with what is claimed to be an image of Lord Hanuman. Gang members convince targets that the coins carry supernatural powers and can fetch crores of rupees in overseas markets, using that belief to extract large sums of money from unsuspecting victims.

Grabbed at gunpoint near Randha Chowk
The latest victim was 62-year-old Balangir businessman Narendra Sahu, also known locally as Gunda Sahu. On August 14, the alleged mastermind, 50-year-old Kshitish Chandra Sahu, along with his associates, lured Narendra to Randha Chowk, forced him into a vehicle at gunpoint and drove him to Bhubaneswar, where he was held captive in a hotel room. Police moved quickly and rescued him from Bhubaneswar the very next day.

A disputed Rs 2.7 crore deal with no paper trail
According to Himanshu Kumar Lal, IG of the Northern Range, Kshitish claimed he had handed over Rs 2.7 crore to Narendra back in 2020 in exchange for a rare coin, but says he received neither the coin nor his money back. Investigators, however, have found no financial evidence to back up that claim.

Forced to pose with an empty pistol on camera
Balangir SP Abhilash G. said Narendra was threatened with a firearm throughout his captivity and pressured into calling home to falsely assure his family he was safe. Police later recovered 12 disturbing videos from Kshitish's phone, in which Narendra was handed an unloaded pistol and made to act out a scene suggesting he had attacked Kshitish. The staged footage was meant to force him into apologising and returning money, building a false trail of evidence against him.

A sub-inspector sister and a journalist join the plot
Kshitish did not act alone. He roped in his own sister, a sub-inspector posted at Khandagiri police station in Bhubaneswar, along with local journalist Sanjay Jena. CCTV footage showed Jena posing as a police officer to walk Narendra into Khandagiri police station, where a false assault complaint was filed against him. Sub-inspector Snehamanjari Sahu is separately accused of abusing her official position to threaten Narendra with a fabricated criminal case.

A plan to extort up to Rs 10 crore
Police say the accused had plotted to extract anywhere between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 10 crore from Narendra. A case has now been registered under the BNS and the Arms Act, and the investigation has been accelerated. Digital forensic analysis has already turned up evidence of sustained communication between the accused, further exposing the layers of the conspiracy.

What this means for you
The case is a sharp warning for anyone approached with promises of quick riches through old coins or antique metal objects claimed to have special value.

• Across India: Be wary of similar 'rare coin' gangs operating in other states, and verify any such deal through proper channels before parting with money.
• In Odisha: With the racket active around Balangir, local police are expected to keep a closer watch on such scams, which should mean faster action for future victims.

Questions & Answers

1. What is the Hanuman coin racket?
It is a scam network that claims old copper or brass coins bearing an image of Lord Hanuman possess supernatural powers and can fetch crores of rupees in overseas markets.

2. When and where was businessman Narendra Sahu kidnapped?
He was abducted from Randha Chowk in Balangir on August 14 and taken to Bhubaneswar, where he was held hostage in a hotel.

3. Who is the main accused and what did he claim?
The main accused is 50-year-old Kshitish Chandra Sahu, who claimed he had given Narendra Rs 2.7 crore in 2020 for a rare coin, though police found no evidence of the transaction.

4. What did police find on Kshitish's phone?
Police recovered 12 videos in which Narendra was handed an unloaded pistol and made to stage a scene suggesting he had attacked Kshitish.

5. What role did the sub-inspector and the journalist play?
Kshitish's sister, a sub-inspector, and journalist Sanjay Jena joined the plot; Jena posed as a police officer to get Narendra into a police station and filed a false complaint, while sub-inspector Snehamanjari Sahu is accused of threatening him with a fake case.

6. Under what laws was the case registered?
Police registered the case under the BNS and the Arms Act.

7. How much money were the accused trying to extort?
Police say the accused planned to extort between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 10 crore from Narendra.

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