Odisha Police SI exam scam: Court grants 2-day remand of accused Nitish Kumar

The investigation into the Police Sub-Inspector examination scam intensified on Wednesday as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) secured a two-day remand of accused Nitish Kumar, who was arrested from Bihar. He was produced before the Bhubaneswar court earlier in the day, where the CBI sought his remand for questioning in connection with the alleged irregularities.

CBI Gains Custody After Court Appearance

After being presented in court, Nitish Kumar was handed over to the CBI for a two-day custodial interrogation. Officials stated that his questioning is crucial to uncovering further links and identifying those involved in the scam.

Four More Accused to Be Taken on Remand

Beginning tomorrow, the CBI will also take each of four other accused Muna Mohanty, Srikant Maharana, T. Abhimanyu Dora and Priyadarshini Samal on two-day remand. The court has granted permission for their custodial interrogation, enabling investigators to probe deeper into the alleged manipulation of the recruitment exam.

“The CBI produced the accused, Nitish Kumar, who was arrested in Bihar, and forwarded him to the court. While the agency sought a four-day remand, the court granted two days. The CBI had also requested remand for the other accused Muna Mohanty, T. Abhimanyu Dora, Srikant Maharana and Priyadarshini Samal from the 10th to the 15th, which I objected to. The hearing took place before Honourable CBI Special Court Judge Binod Bihari Sahu, and the court eventually granted the CBI two days of remand. Earlier, when the Crime Branch took these accused on a five-day remand, they failed to collect key documents or trace monetary transactions. They were unable to establish the case properly. On these grounds, I raised objections before the court, following which the court restricted the remand period to two days,” said accused's lawyer Jayaram Mallick.

CBI’s Earlier Request for Extended Custody

The CBI agency had earlier moved a separate petition before the designated CBI court seeking five days of remand for all the accused. However, the court approved a shorter custodial period for the interrogation process.

With multiple accused now placed under remand, the CBI’s probe into the SI exam scam has gained momentum. The forthcoming interrogations are expected to shed more light on the extent of the conspiracy and those responsible for compromising the integrity of the recruitment process.