Bhubaneswar: In a major breakthrough, the CID Crime Branch has unearthed an organised criminal syndicate that attempted to sabotage the Sub-Inspector (SI) of Police recruitment examination for monetary gain.
During the investigation into the suspected leakage of question papers for the SI and equivalent rank examinations conducted by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB), it was found that a well-organised network was operating to subvert the entire process using unfair means.
The Crime Branch has apprehended Biswaranjan Behera, 29, of Bidyadharpur under Barang police limits in Cuttack district.
Behera’s arrest takes the total number of arrests to 118, as 117 persons, including the examinees, had been arrested and sent to court earlier. Behera, an active member of the syndicate, allegedly contacted aspiring candidates on the instructions of the group’s leader.
According to investigators, Behera collected original educational certificates and blank cheques from candidates in exchange for allegedly supplying them with question papers. He later handed these documents over to his superior in the hierarchy.
The evidence indicates a clear criminal conspiracy executed under the direction of the syndicate’s leaders.
Following his interrogation and the seizure of incriminating materials, Behera was arrested October 3 and produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (R), Berhampur Saturday.
The investigation is continuing, with multiple teams working to apprehend the main conspirator, who remains at large.
The SI police examination, scheduled to be held October 5 and 6, has already been postponed by the OPRB. The matter, which was earlier investigated by the Berhampur police, has been handed over to the Crime Branch.
Launching a scathing attack on the state government for its alleged failure in conducting the police sub-inspector (SI) recruitment exam in a fair manner, Opposition BJD, Congress and CPI(M) Saturday demanded a CBI and judicial investigation into the ‘examination scam’.
Addressing a presser at Shankha Bhawan here, BJD general secretary Pritiranjan Gharai and Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) president Chinmay Sahu alleged that the recruitment examination was marred by deep-rooted corruption, facilitated through outsourcing.
Gharai said the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) had initially assigned the examination to an ITI, but it was later outsourced to two private firms, which lacked the necessary experience.
“This outsourcing was not accidental; it was a deliberate move by the state government to open the door for corruption,” he said.
He added that since officers of the Police Department are the accused in the case, the Crime Branch should not investigate it.
“An impartial probe can only be ensured if the case is handed over to the CBI. The Chief Minister must transfer the investigation immediately if he wishes to prove his government’s transparency,” Gharai demanded.
Similarly, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) also demanded a CBI probe into what it called ‘a massive Rs 300 crore recruitment scam’.
Alleging that an interstate racket is behind the exam scam, Congress leader Debasis Nayak, Sonali Sahu, Bibhuti Bhusan Mohapatra and Manisha Das Pattnaik slammed the BJP government for institutionalising corruption, claiming that jobs were sold for Rs25–50 lakh each.
The party alleged that despite repeated exam paper leaks, including OAS, OTET, and RI & Amin tests, no senior officials or ministers have faced questioning.
The party demanded that OPRB chairman Sushant Kumar Nath be brought under investigation and urged compensation and a monthly allowance of Rs 20,000 for affected candidates
PTI
