Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination scam, filed a preliminary chargesheet on Monday, naming 16 accused including alleged mastermind Shankar Prusty.
According to sources, Prusty, owner of Bhubaneswar-based Panchsoft Technologies Pvt Ltd, which was subcontracted for parts of the examination process, topped the list of accused. Other names in the chargesheet include Muna Mohanty, Suresh Nayak (promoter of Silicon Tech Lab), Soumya Priyadarshini Samal, Rinku Maharana (also known as Srikanta Maharana), Biranchi Nayak, and Nitish Kumar.
The examination, conducted by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB), was awarded to ITI Limited, a central PSU. The public sector undertaking further sub-contracted the work to Bhubaneswar-based Silicon Techlab with the latter subletting key tasks to Panchsoft Technologies Pvt Ltd. The tender was worth about Rs 3 crore, according to sources.
While nine of them were initially arrested by the Odisha Crime Branch, the CBI, which took over the investigation in November on the recommendation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi due to the scam’s multi-state ramifications and the need for an impartial probe, apprehended the remaining seven.
Sources further stated that the chargesheet highlighted evidence of irregularities, including financial transactions and question paper leaks that compromised the Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE)-2024, aimed at filling 933 posts.
The CBI has pointed to an organised syndicate with roots in prior recruitment scams, describing several accused, including Prusty, as habitual offenders in similar job frauds, which indicates a deeper nexus of intermediaries and facilitators manipulating public examinations over multiple cycles.
The SI exam racket involved middlemen promising leaked papers and guaranteed selection for sums ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per candidate, extending across states like Bihar, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh.
Investigators have indicated that the number of accused may increase, with additional chargesheets likely as the inquiry uncovers a wider interstate network.
In related court proceedings, CBI officials argued against bail for several accused, warning of potential witness tampering and evidence destruction. The probe also examines potential insider roles within the Odisha Police Recruitment Board and contracted firms.
