Cuttack, Sep 1: In a major breakthrough, Cuttack Cyber Police arrested Partha Sarathi Das, a retired Army personnel, for allegedly masterminding the massive Huge App scam that defrauded lakhs of people across Odisha.

Das was apprehended from Chandipur in Balasore and produced in court, with plans underway to take him on remand for further interrogation.

The scam revolved around the mobile application “Huge App,” launched in late 2024, which lured users with promises of daily financial returns and referral bonuses. Victims were asked to invest ₹16,500 to register, rate videos, and recruit others. In return, they were promised ₹41 per day and additional incentives. Initially, some investors received payouts, which helped build trust and attract more participants.

However, on August 15, 2025, the app abruptly stopped functioning, leaving thousands stranded. Investigations revealed that over 300 residents from Cuttack’s Darghabazar area and more than 3,000 from Jagatsinghpur had fallen prey to the scheme.

Police seized ₹68,000 in cash, ₹2.51 lakh in bank deposits, mobile phones, and incriminating documents from Das. Earlier, another associate had been arrested by Tangi Police. Authorities suspect a wider network behind the operation and are actively pursuing other individuals linked to the fraud.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has now taken over the probe, estimating the total fraud to exceed ₹20 crore, with nearly four lakh victims statewide. Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo confirmed that Das will be interrogated further to uncover the full extent of the scam and identify additional culprits.

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