Crime Branch raids ‘Vanik’ coaching centre in Bhubaneswar

The Odisha Crime Branch on Thursday raided the ‘Vanik’ Coaching Centre near CRP Square in Bhubaneswar as part of its ongoing probe into the alleged Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam. The operation was launched following credible inputs about the centre’s possible involvement in facilitating irregularities during the recruitment process.

Focus on Exam Fixing Allegations

Sources said the raid was conducted after allegations emerged that the centre had been involved in exam fixing and helping candidates gain unfair advantages. Officials are examining whether the institute played a role in manipulating candidate selection through illegal means.

Also Read: SI recruitment scam: BJD links of arrested agent Chandan Mallick surface

Suspected Links with Panchsoft Head

Investigators are also probing alleged connections between Vanik’s owner and Panchsoft’s chief, Shankar Prusty, who is already under the Crime Branch scanner in the same case. Reports indicate that several candidates travelling to Andhra Pradesh had affiliations with the coaching institute.

Officials Examine Five-Year Records

“We have a list of some students. We are conducting a detailed inquiry. We are currently reviewing the records of last 5 years. We will verify from those things with whatever firsthand information we get. After verifying it, we will take further course of action. Scam is scam, there is no small or big. Nowadays, if a student who is trying to clear government, would want to get it in fair manner. We need to find who all had gone there to know who the mastermind behind the scam is,” Narendra Behera, DSP, Crime Branch said.

Probe Widens

The Crime Branch’s findings are expected to shed light on the extent of malpractice in recruitment coaching centres across Odisha, raising serious concerns about transparency and fairness in competitive examinations.

However, Vanik Coaching Institute has refuted all the allegations.