Master plan of Odisha SI recruitment exam scam revealed; know how Shankar, Muna gamed the system

The Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment exam scam, one of the state’s most brazen employment scams, has revealed the inner workings of a sophisticated network that manipulated at least 300 SI posts.

Following several leads and the arrest of chief middleman Muna Mohanty, the Crime Branch has pieced together the operations of the alleged mastermind, Shankar Prusty, exposing layers of bribery, certificate control, and logistical coordination that enabled aspirants to cheat their way into the police force.

Blueprint Of The Scam

According to Crime Branch DG Vinaytosh Mishra, the scam was executed through a planned chain of operations.

Muna Mohanty, along with close aides Sukanta Maharana (Rinku), Srikanta Maharana, Abhimanyu Dora, and Soumya Priyadarshini, handled the on-ground implementation. They ferried aspirants from different districts to pre-decided exam centres, often using buses or Mohanty’s private Scorpio, ensuring candidates reached locations where cheating assistance was arranged.

Candidates reportedly paid Rs 25 lakh each, split into Rs 10 lakh initially and Rs 15 lakh after confirmation of selection.

Payments were routed through accounts belonging to Mohanty’s relatives and associates, and in some cases through shell companies. Two firms, including Panchsoft, were leased responsibilities such as admit card generation, allocation of examination centres, and online test management, providing the operation with technological and logistical cover.

Online Test Centres And Certificates

Investigations revealed that Shankar Prusty ran multiple fake online test centres in Bhubaneswar, Raghunathpur, Berhampur, Balasore, Puri, Gajapati, Cuttack, and Bhawanipatna. These centres were reportedly used to facilitate pre-exam manipulation and monitor candidates. 

During a raid on October 5 at Raghunathpur, officials discovered that arrangements inside the centre had been disrupted just before the operation, indicating prior knowledge of the impending crackdown.

Soumya Priyadarshini allegedly held aspirants’ original certificates, coordinating with brokers to ensure compliance and manage risk. The Crime Branch has confirmed that certificates were retained until candidates were successfully placed in ‘friendly’ centres.

ALSO READ: Odisha Police SI recruitment scam: Nayagarh BJD councillor Jatin Dalei allegedly acted as a middleman

High-Profile Involvement And Suspicious Travel

The probe also revealed involvement of individuals from varied backgrounds, including a jawan posted at Lok Seva Bhawan, a retired DIG’s son, and alleged links to several BJD politicians.

In the most notable operation, Berhampur Police intercepted three AC sleeper buses near the Andhra Pradesh border carrying 114 candidates and three agents travelling to Vijayanagaram under guidance from the network. These aspirants were being transported to locations where they could access confidential question papers ahead of time.

All 117 individuals intercepted in this operation were taken into custody, with FIRs registered under multiple provisions of the Odisha Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The OPRB subsequently postponed the CPSE-2024 SI exam and suspended admit card downloads.

Arrests And Interrogation

Following these breakthroughs, Muna Mohanty and his aides were arrested near Daspalla in Nayagarh district, hours after Mohanty narrowly escaped a farmhouse raid. They are currently in Berhampur custody for detailed interrogation.

The DG highlighted that the arrests provide a near-complete picture of the candidates involved, and more apprehensions are expected.

The Crime Branch confirmed that Mohanty’s network included multiple layers- from arranging transportation, hotel stays, and exam centre access to managing financial flows and certificates. 

This level of coordination points to an organised and premeditated fraud, with Shankar Prusty orchestrating the entire network remotely from Delhi.

ALSO READ: Odisha Police SI recruitment scam sparks bitter political face-off

Mastermind Absconding

While arrests have been made, Shankar Prusty, head of Panchsoft, remains at large. He is suspected to have fled India via Nepal shortly after the scam came to light and is reportedly hiding in Dubai.

Prusty, along with his wife Deeptimayi Sahu, had filed anticipatory bail petitions, but authorities are coordinating with central agencies to track his location and plan extradition if necessary. Investigators allege that Prusty manipulated exam systems through remote access technology, ensuring control over centre allocations and candidate selection.

Preliminary investigations suggest that 186 candidates travelling by train managed to escape apprehension and are still being traced. The Crime Branch has acquired detailed lists of all involved candidates, and once verification is complete, further arrests are expected.