Odisha Police says crime syndicate behind SI recruitment exam scam, arrests key racket member

Bhubaneswar, Oct 4 (PTI) Noting that an organised syndicate was operating to subvert the sub-inspector (SI) recruitment examination, the Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Saturday arrested a key member of the racket as the opposition parties intensified their demand for a CBI probe or a judicial inquiry into the scam.

The Crime Branch, which has been assigned the investigation of the case after the state government suspected a sabotage in the recruitment process said in a statement, "Preliminary probe revealed that an organised criminal syndicate is operating to subvert the entire examination process by adopting unfair means for monetary gain." The written examination for the recruitment of SIs in the police was postponed by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) on September 30 after the Berhampur Police arrested 117 people, including 114 aspiring candidates, from the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.

They were going to some undisclosed place in the neighbouring state to get "special coaching" before the written examination on October 5-6.

The Crime Branch of Odisha Police said in the statement that one Biswaranjan Behera (29) of Cuttack district was arrested for his alleged involvement in the scam.

He collected original certificates and blank cheques from aspiring candidates to provide question papers for the examination.

"The actions on part of the accused Biswaranjan Behera clearly indicate a conspiracy," the statement said.

Based on evidence found against Behera, he was apprehended followed with his interrogation and seizure of incriminating materials.

With the arrest of Behera, the total number of arrests in the SI recruitment scam increased to 118, the statement said.

"Investigation into the case is being conducted by multiple teams to apprehend the main conspirator," it said.

According to police sources, each candidate had allegedly agreed to pay Rs 25 lakh for one SI post, with Rs 10 lakh as an advance and the remaining Rs 15 lakh after getting the job.

"This was confessed by some of the 114 candidates arrested by Berhampur Police," a senior officer said.

Meanwhile, the OPRB headed by senior IPS officer S K Nath, for the first time, held an emergency meeting and discussed the conspiracy to sabotage the recruitment process.

Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja also convened a meeting attended by DGP Y B Khurania, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Satyabarta Sahu, OPRB chairperson S K Nath and others, and discussed the recruitment scam.

Hundreds of job aspirants, who were among 1.53 lakh applicants for the 933 SI posts, on Saturday staged a demonstration in front of Pandit Biswanth Das Library demanding transparency in the recruitment.

Opposition BJD, Congress and CPI(M) have separately demanded either a CBI probe or a judicial inquiry into the SI recruitment scam, stating that the Crime Branch of Odisha Police was "not competent to investigate the matter allegedly involving senior officers and leaders of ruling party".

"The BJD will hold a massive protest in Bhubaneswar on October 6, demanding a CBI probe into the scam. The state government outsourced the recruitment process in order to pave the way for corruption. Job sale is a state government-sponsored programme," BJD's youth wing president Chinmay Sahoo told reporters.

Congress leader Sonali Sahoo, in another press conference, alleged that an inter-state racket was involved.

"Therefore, the investigation should be handed over to the CBI... The job aspirants should be given adequate compensation and a monthly allowance of Rs 20,000 till the compensation is paid," Sahoo demanded.

CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Panigrahi said, "We demand a judicial probe as the CBI or state police cannot do justice for alleged involvement of senior officers. The Left parties will hit the streets if stringent action is not taken.” Panigrahi said OPRB is now the focus of the controversy as it initially handed over the responsibility of conducting the exam to ITI Limited, a central PSU which later subcontracted the assignment to Bhubaneswar-based Silicon Techlab and subsequently to Panchsoft Private Limited.

This subcontracting has raised serious questions about transparency in the recruitment process, he said.

BJP spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra, however, rejected the Opposition demand and claimed that Crime Branch of Odisha Police have been working in the proper direction.

So far, 118 people have been arrested and the probe agency will find out the root of the corruption, if any, he said. PTI AAM AAM ACD