Bhubaneswar: Officials of the Odisha Crime Branch on Thursday conducted raid at ‘Vanik’ Coaching Institute in Bhubaneswar during the ongoing probe into the police sub-inspector (SI) recruitment exam scam.
Sources said the search operation was launched following information about suspected role of the coaching centre in facilitating irregularities during the police recruitment process.
The raid was carried out based on statements reportedly made by several job aspirants arrested in connection with the SI recruitment scam. Some of the arrested candidates have claimed that certain coaching centres had sponsored them. The investigating team is verifying the veracity of the statements made by some of the arrested candidates and further steps will be taken based on the outcome of this verification, said an official.
As per information, a Crime Branch team examined the database of students who had enrolled at the Vanik Institute, located near CRP Square in the capital city.
The team seized certain documents related to job aspirants allegedly involved in the scam., Crime Branch DSP Narendra Behera said after the three-hour operation.
This apart, the institute’s HR and Administrative Officer, Accounts Manager, and Marketing Manager have been summoned to appear before the Crime Branch at its Cuttack office for questioning, he said.
Reacting to the development, Vanik Institute owner Subrat Chhatoi said the Crime Branch has taken action based on statements made by 12 candidates, and similar steps should be taken in case of other coaching institutes involved in irregularities. “I am ready to face action if any wrongdoing is proven. I have nothing to hide,” he said.
Notably, the Berhampur District and Sessions Judge Court on Wednesday rejected the bail pleas of 119 persons arrested in connection with the alleged SI recruitment scam and remanded them to judicial custody. Of them, 114 are candidates, while five are suspected to be middlemen.
The recruitment examination had earlier been postponed after suspicions of a question paper leak surfaced, leading to the arrests.