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

A fresh twist has emerged in the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam, with Crime Branch sleuths tracing connections to Nayagarh Biju Janata Dal (BJD) local councillor, Jatin Kumar Dalei, who allegedly facilitated as well as acted as an active member in the multi-crore racket when the Naveen Patnaik-led government was in power.

According to sources, Jatin Dalei, a BJD councillor of Ward No. 4, Khandapada NAC in Nayagarh, has come under the Crime Branch’s radar for alleged involvement as a middleman in the SI recruitment scam.

Dalai, who has held the councillor position since 2022, reportedly facilitated aspirants in securing SI appointments by leveraging contacts within the recruitment network.

Reports have also suggested that Dalai initially intended to join the SI service himself, but could not pay Rs 25 lakh as a bribe. However, he allegedly helped other aspirants in exchange for remuneration or influence.

The probe has revealed potential links between Dalai and other political figures, including a female councillor and two male councillors, whose roles in the syndicate are now being examined. No comments could be obtained from Dalei regarding the development.

BJD Distances Itself From Dalei

In response to the Crime Branch making this startling discovery, the BJD distanced itself from Dalei and insisted that it has no involvement in such scams and is rather actively fighting for those involved in the SI exam scam to be brought to justice.

In an interaction with OTV, BJD leader and State Zilla Parishad Association President Debasish Patnaik called for strict action against all accused, irrespective of their political affiliations.

“The BJD is fighting on the streets of Bhubaneswar for justice to the hundreds of legitimate aspirants who lost their faith in the system because of this scam. None of our members is involved in this, but if they are, they should face justice. Whether they belong to the BJP or the BJD or Congress, they must face trial,” said Patnaik.

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Arrest of SSB Jawan Opens New Line of Inquiry

This revelation comes on the heels of the arrest of SSB jawan Biswaranjan Behera, a 2018-batch constable posted at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.

Behera, who previously served at the residence of a former Chief Minister, is described by Crime Branch sources as a close associate of middleman Muna Mohanty. His detention has yielded fresh leads on how the syndicate coordinated with serving security and police personnel to facilitate access to confidential recruitment material.