Odisha SI Exam Scam: Intelligence Report Reveals Police and Private Firm Nexus

Odisha SI Exam Scam: Intelligence Report Reveals Police and Private Firm Nexus

Bhubaneswar: A confidential intelligence report has revealed a suspected nexus between senior police officers and private firms tasked with conducting the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination, highlighting a massive fraud in the now-postponed Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE) 2024. The report, accessed by The New Indian Express, also pointed to a lack of due diligence as a key factor behind the scam.

The report, submitted to DGP YB Khurania shortly after the scam surfaced, indicated that some senior police officers frequently visited the offices of private agencies involved in the CPSE, raising suspicions of a possible nexus with the firms’ owners and directors.

Private Firms Under Scrutiny

Among the firms under investigation, Panchsoft Technologies, headed by Sankar Prusty, a native of Kabisuryanagar, allegedly engaged in several malpractices. The report suggests that Prusty, in collaboration with Silicon Techlab, planned to execute large-scale organized fraud during the CPSE. Prusty also owns Kedarnath Technologies in Ganjam district. Both Panchsoft and Silicon Techlab offices, located in Bhubaneswar’s DLF Cyber City, have been locked since the scam came to light on September 30.

The CPSE, conducted by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB), was outsourced to ITI Limited, a central PSU based in Kolkata, which then sub-contracted work to Silicon Techlab and Panchsoft Technologies.

Modus Operandi of the Scam

The intelligence report revealed that the fraudulent network promised SI exam candidates early access to question papers in exchange for kickbacks ranging from ₹15 lakh to ₹25 lakh per applicant. The syndicate reportedly contacted around 500 candidates and arranged their accommodation near the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.

Pradeep Sethi of Khallikote, previously involved in the Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) malpractice, was identified as a key conspirator. Despite no legitimate sources of income, Sethi amassed assets worth crores, including real estate in Khallikote, Nirmaljhar, and Berhampur. His prior involvement in exam fraud reinforces suspicions of his central role in the CPSE scam.

Organized Network and Investigation Status

The operation reportedly involved brokers, transporters, third-party agencies, and habitual offenders operating both within Odisha and beyond. The intelligence report highlighted the failure of due diligence in awarding contracts to agencies with questionable reputations, leaving the recruitment process vulnerable to manipulation.

So far, the Crime Branch has arrested five middlemen and 114 candidates. However, the main conspirators and senior officials allegedly involved in the nexus remain at large. Multiple investigative teams are actively working to apprehend the key figures behind the scam.