Argus News - Odisha Police SI Exam Scam: Four More Arrested, Prime Accused Still Absconding

Bhubaneswar, Oct 17: Odisha Police Crime Branch arrested four more individuals in connection with the multi-crore Sub Inspector (SI) of Police recruitment scam, Crime Branch DGP Vinaytosh Mishra said on Friday.

The arrested individuals were identified as Muna Mohanty (32) of Baideswar in Cuttack district; Priyadarshini Samal (25) of Mukundpur in Dhenkanal district; and Srikant Maharana (34) and T. Abimanyu Dora (49) of Daspalla in Nayagarh district.

Among the arrested individuals, Muna Mohanty has been identified as one of the prime accused. He allegedly operated a crime syndicate that conspired to manipulate the Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE)-2024 through unfair means.

Crime Syndicate Uncovered

According to Crime Branch Director General Vinaytosh Mishra, Mohanty, along with his aides, orchestrated the leak of question papers and facilitated unfair access to exam materials for aspiring candidates. The syndicate was reportedly run under the direction of Sankar Prusty, Director of Panchsoft Technologies Pvt. Ltd., based in Patia, Bhubaneswar.

Mohanty collected original certificates and blank cheques from candidates, promising leaked question papers in exchange for payments ranging from ₹20 to ₹25 lakh. He also arranged logistics, including buses and accommodation, for candidates traveling to Vijayanagaram.

Interception and Arrests

The scam surfaced on September 29 when Berhampur Police intercepted three buses in Andhra Pradesh carrying 114 candidates and three agents. Investigations revealed that Mohanty and Srikant Maharana had planned the entire operation. Srikant mobilized candidates and coordinated their travel and lodging, while Mohanty oversaw the process and personally supervised boarding in Bhubaneswar.

After the arrests, Mohanty, Srikant, and others went into hiding, switching off their phones. Certificates were later returned to candidates’ families via Priyadarshini Samal, another accused. T. Abimanyu Dora was arrested for sheltering the fugitives at his farmhouse in Daspalla.

Prime Accused Still at Large

While four have been arrested, the prime accused Sankar Prusty remains absconding. He was reportedly in Delhi during the arrests, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend him.

The SI recruitment scam, which rocked the state, involved around 130 accused, including aspirants, middlemen and government officials, police said.

Background of the SI Exam Scam

Acting on a tip from the Chief Minister's Office, Golanthara police intercepted three buses near the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border and arrested 114 candidates and three agents for their involvement in a sub-inspector exam paper leak scam.

The candidates were allegedly being transported to Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh to receive confidential question papers for the upcoming sub-inspector (SI) written examination

According to sources, Each candidate had agreed to pay up to Rs25 lakh for the question papers, with Rs10 lakh paid upfront and the remaining Rs15 lakh to be paid after they were selected for the job. The Crime Branch has launched a detailed investigation into the racket.