In a major breakthrough in the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam, the Crime Branch has arrested notorious middleman Muna Mohanty along with four key aides.
The arrests shed light on the elaborate network behind the massive job fraud racket that shook the state’s recruitment system.
Details of the Arrest
The Crime Branch confirmed that Muna Mohanty and four associates, including Sukanta Maharana (alias Rinku) and Srikanta Maharana, were taken into custody near Daspalla in Nayagarh district late Thursday night. Mohanty had narrowly evaded a previous raid at a farmhouse where he was hiding.
Crime Branch officials revealed that Mohanty’s network coordinated multiple layers of operations, including transporting candidates to pre-decided exam centers and collecting money through family bank accounts.
“We traced transactions routed through relatives’ accounts. Candidates were ferried in Mohanty’s car to centers where cheating was facilitated,” the Crime Branch Director General stated.
Another aide, Soumya Priyadarshini, allegedly managed original certificates of aspirants and coordinated with brokers to ensure compliance. Authorities are still pursuing Shankar Prusty, who played a central role in orchestrating the scam.
Scope of the Scam
Preliminary findings suggest that around 300 SI posts were illicitly sold. Candidates reportedly paid large sums to secure “friendly” exam centers, where arrangements were made to ensure their success.
During prior raids, 114 aspirants were caught traveling by buses to designated centers, while 186 candidates who traveled by train remain untraced. The Crime Branch is tracking down absconding candidates and expects additional arrests soon.
Mastermind Flees Abroad
The alleged mastermind, Shankar Prusty, head of Panchsoft Company, reportedly fled to Dubai via Nepal after the scandal emerged. Prusty has filed for anticipatory bail in the Orissa High Court. Investigators are coordinating with central agencies to ensure his return to India to face justice.
