Bhubaneswar, Oct 17: In a major breakthrough in the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam, the Crime Branch has arrested four persons, including the alleged mastermind Muna Mohanty.

Briefing the media persons, Crime Branch Director General Vinaytosh Mishra shared key details of the ongoing investigation into the scam.

Among those arrested is a woman, named Priyadarshini, who was reportedly responsible for coordinating with candidates involved in the scam, said the senior official.

The accused were allegedly part of a larger network that facilitated unfair access to the recruitment process, the senior official further stated.

According to the investigation, Muna Mohanty had booked hotel rooms in Digha and Hyderabad, and arranged transportation for 114 candidates from Vijayanagar using buses. Of these, 110 rooms were reserved in Digha alone.

Investigators revealed that Muna personally booked the buses and transferred Rs 2 lakh from his mother’s account to a travel agency named Tulasi Travels.

Also read: Odisha Police SI Scam: Middleman Muna Mohanty Arrested From Nayagarh

One of Muna’s associates, Arabinda Das, was reportedly managing logistics in Digha, while another aide, Srikant Maharana, coordinated operations from Vijayanagar. The group used vehicles including a Scorpio and two tippers, which have now been seized by the Crime Branch.

The prime conspirator, Sankar Prusty, remains absconding. His mobile phone has been switched off since the day of the incident. Authorities are continuing their search and have intensified efforts to locate him.

The arrests mark a significant step in unraveling the scam, which has raised serious concerns about the integrity of public recruitment processes in the state.