Bhubaneswar: In a significant breakthrough into alleged cheating in the police sub-inspector (SI) recruitment test, the Crime Branch of Odisha Police unearthed an organised criminal syndicate subverting the examination process, and a key member of the racket.
Intensifying its probe into suspected leakage of question papers for the recruitment of SI of Police and equivalent ranks conducted by OPRB, the Crime Branch said an organised criminal syndicate was operating to subvert the entire examination process by adopting unfair means for monetary gain.
In the process, a fresh arrest was made in the case. The accused, identified as Biswaranjan Behera (29) of Bidyadharpur in Barang area of Cuttack district, was a part of the crime syndicate. He actively took part in contacting the aspiring candidates as per the instruction of the head of the syndicate, collected original certificates and blank cheques from them in lieu of providing questions papers for the examination and handed over the same to his next leader in the hierarchy. The actions on part of the accused Behera clearly indicates a clear conspiracy among the criminals and executed the works as directed by the leaders.
Basing on the evidence found against him, Behera was apprehended followed with his interrogation and examination and seizure of incriminating materials. He was later arrested on and forwarded to the court of JMFC (R) Cog Taking) Berhampur on Saturday, the Crime Branch said in a statement.
It may note here that earlier 117 accused persons associated in the case were arrested and forwarded to the court.
Investigation of the case is in progress by multiple teams to apprehend the main conspirator.
Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ratnaprava Satpathy has been appointed to lead the investigation into the scam.
Initially registered at Golanthara Police Station in Ganjam, the case has now been officially handed over to the Crime Branch for a thorough probe.
As per an order issued by the Director General of Police (DGP), DSP Satpathy will take full charge of the investigation under the provisions of PMR-410(A). SP Anil Kumar Beuria has been designated as the supervising officer and will oversee the investigation and issue supervision notes as required.
The case, registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Odisha Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, involves large-scale manipulation and corruption in the police recruitment process.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to trace and arrest the alleged masterminds of the racket, Shankar Prusty and Muna Mohanty, who have been absconding.
Preliminary findings indicate that the scam was operated by a network of brokers who struck deals with aspirants, reportedly demanding Rs 25 lakh from each candidate in exchange for securing their selection.
The controversy has also put the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) in the spotlight. Though OPRB initially handed over the responsibility of conducting the exam to ITI Ltd., the task was later subcontracted to Silicon and subsequently to Panchsoft Pvt Ltd, a firm reportedly headed by Shankar Prusty. This subcontracting has raised serious questions about transparency in the recruitment process.
On September 30, the OPRB postponed the Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE) 2024 for the third time, citing administrative reasons, after Berhampur police intercepted three buses on the border with Andhra Pradesh, acting on a tip-off about a huge malpractice in the upcoming test.
On verification, it was found that among the 117 passengers, 114 had applied for the SI examination. The subsequent interrogation of the detainees revealed that the candidates had conspired to acquire confidential question papers in Vizianagaram in the neighbouring state before returning to Bhubaneswar to appear for the exam in their respective centres.
Each candidate had reportedly agreed to pay Rs 25 lakh, with Rs 10 lakh as advance and the remaining Rs 15 lakh after getting the job.