Three women self-help groups in Chhattisgarh's Balod district have allegedly been cheated of ₹3.89 lakh on the promise of supplying a dona-pattal making machine. The groups had taken a bank loan to purchase the machine but allegedly neither received the equipment nor got their money back. Police have arrested a 33-year-old man in connection with the case.

The incident was reported from the Daundi area, where the Prerna Self-Help Group, Jai Maa Self-Help Group and Jai Budhadev Self-Help Group operate in Auratola village. Members of the three groups had reportedly taken a combined loan of ₹3.89 lakh from Bank of Baroda's Narratola branch to purchase the machine.

According to the police complaint, the women had paid the amount on December 3, 2025, to Khemendra Kumar Sen, a resident of Khallari village in the Gunderdehi police station area, for supplying the machine.

Machine never delivered

After receiving the money, Sen allegedly failed to provide the dona-pattal machine despite the passage of considerable time. When members of the self-help groups reportedly demanded their money back, he allegedly kept delaying the matter and did not return the amount.

After repeated attempts to recover the money failed, representatives of the groups approached Daundi police and lodged a complaint.

Police subsequently registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and began investigating the allegations.

Accused arrested from Khallari

During the investigation, police traced the accused and took him into custody. The accused was identified as 33-year-old Khemendra Kumar Sen, a resident of Khallari village.

Daundi police station in-charge Uma Thakur said the accused was questioned after being taken into custody. According to the police, Sen admitted to the offence during interrogation.

Police arrested him on August 23 and produced him before the court. Following the court's order, a jail warrant was issued and Sen was sent to Balod district jail.

Women had taken bank loans

The case has highlighted the financial impact on the three self-help groups, whose members had reportedly borrowed money from a bank specifically to establish the dona-pattal manufacturing activity.

The groups had received assistance from Hemin Bhuwarya of Kamta village while arranging the machine purchase. The police investigation is focused on the transaction, the promised supply of the machine and the handling of the money after it was handed over.

Police are continuing the investigation to establish the complete circumstances of the alleged fraud and determine whether any other person was involved.