Bhubaneswar, October 23: Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Thursday welcomed the State Government’s decision to hand over the investigation of the multi-crore Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Calling it a bold step toward transparency and accountability, Harichandan said the move reflects the government’s commitment to clean governance.

Commitment to Fair Recruitment

Addressing media persons, Harichandan stated, “The Chief Minister has already announced the CBI probe. This reflects the government’s firm intent to maintain complete transparency in the process of recruitment. The ongoing recruitment drive will continue with the highest standards of fairness and integrity.”

He emphasized that reforms are underway to establish a transparent and credible recruitment mechanism, including the proposal to set up a permanent commission for selecting personnel in police and other uniformed services.

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Scam with Inter-State Links

The SI recruitment scam, initially investigated by the Crime Branch-CID, has revealed serious irregularities and corruption. Preliminary findings suggest the scam may extend beyond Odisha, with suspected links to Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Officials also suspect the involvement of inter-state organized criminal networks.

In response to these developments, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered a CBI probe to ensure a thorough investigation and exemplary punishment for those involved.

123 Arrests So Far

According to official sources, Odisha Police has already arrested 123 individuals in connection with the scam. The CBI probe is expected to further uncover the depth of the conspiracy and reinforce public trust in the recruitment process.