Bhubaneswar, Oct 10: The Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam continues to unravel deeper layers of alleged corruption and malpractice, with the Crime Branch intensifying its investigation, officials said on Friday.

Following a raid at the Vanik Coaching Center in Bhubaneswar, the Crime Branch has intensified its investigation, summoning three senior officials from the institute for questioning. The Vanik Coaching Center has come under scrutiny for its suspected links to several arrested candidates.

Crime Branch Raids and Summons

Following a three-hour raid at Vanik Coaching Centre on Thursday, the Crime Branch issued summons to three senior officials of the institute — the HR Admin, Accounts Manager, and Marketing Manager. All three appeared before investigators at the Cuttack Crime Branch office today and submitted relevant documents and data.

The owner of Vanik Coaching Centre, BJD leader Subrat Chhatoi, was also questioned during the raid. Officials seized laptops and retrieved five years’ worth of student records to trace connections between the coaching centre and the 114 arrested candidates from the Golantara police station list.

Alleged Candidate Links and Political Fallout

According to Crime Branch DSP Narendra Behera, several of the arrested candidates had received coaching from Vanik. While the exact number is yet to be confirmed, preliminary findings suggest a significant overlap. The investigation also revealed that some of the accused had links to powerful political figures, with viral photos surfacing online.

Political leaders from various parties have targeted Chhatoi, demanding accountability and transparency. Vanik staff, meanwhile, expressed frustration with media coverage, accusing outlets of sensationalism.

Government Response and Legal Action

Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan addressed the issue, stating that the government acted swiftly upon learning of the scam. He assured the public that all individuals involved — including key district-level accused — have been arrested and that the investigation is being conducted with full transparency and efficiency.

Harichandan criticized opposition leaders for politicizing the issue, asserting that the government has taken all necessary steps and will continue to do so. He emphasized that no guilty party will be spared and that measures are being implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.

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