Bhubaneswar, Dec 19: The investigation into the police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam intensified further with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) securing four-day custody of three prime accused — Shankar Prusty, Silicon Techlab director Suresh Nayak, and Sagar Gouda — starting December 19.

The CBI court granted permission for their remand, and the trio will be interrogated after being brought from Jharpada jail.

Investigators believe these three are the main masterminds behind the irregularities.

Shankar is alleged to have orchestrated deals worth Rs 1,000 crore, with CBI planning to expose the role of individuals operating behind the scenes.

Evidence collected from middlemen has strengthened the case against him, with the agency describing Shankar as a “professional criminal” in court.

The probe has revealed Shankar’s involvement in multiple past examinations as well.

Officials expect that questioning him will bring several influential figures under the scanner. The CBI has already issued summons to individuals linked to Shankar, planning face-to-face interrogation sessions.

Suresh, whose company handled printing and transportation of exam papers, is suspected of colluding with Shankar to siphon off large sums of money. He allegedly sheltered Shankar and helped him escape towards the Nepal-Uttarakhand border. Sagar, meanwhile, is accused of playing a key role in manipulating exams scheduled in Kolkata and Digha.

The CBI has also seized 133 mobile phones from arrested candidates and middlemen. With court approval, these devices have been sent to the agency’s forensic lab. Deleted chats are expected to be recovered within a week, and all digital evidence will be compiled and submitted to court.

Investigators are probing whether deals ranged from Rs 25 lakh per candidate to higher amounts depending on the job.


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Meanwhile, the bail hearing of another accused, Biranchi Nayak, has been deferred. The special CBI court has rescheduled the hearing for January 2, 2026, after the agency failed to submit the case diary.

The CBI plans to keep Shankar, Suresh, and Sagar in custody until December 22 to extract further revelations, which may implicate more high-profile individuals in the recruitment scam.