Job scam in Odisha: 2 disguised as Home Dept ASO, senior official dupe aspirants of Rs 1.47 cr

Ashadeep Mohanty Published On : Nov 12, 2021 at 12:46 PM

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha Crime Branch has arrested two persons on charges of duping job aspirants to the tune of Rs 1.47 crore by impersonating themselves as Home Department officials.

The two arrested–Baikunthanath Naik and Bhimsen Moharana– have been booked under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of IPC and will be produced before SDJM Court Bhubaneswar today. Accused Bhimsen has retired as the Senior Grade Recorder from Higher Education Department.

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As per complaint registered by one Badal Kumar Raula, Baikunthanath and Bhimsen along with two others defrauded Rs 1.47 crore from 38 job aspirants, including the complainant on the pretext of enlisting their names in the supplementary selection list of Combined Police Service Examination-2013 after impersonating themselves as Home Department officials.

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During investigation, it was revealed that Badal and 37 other job aspirants had appeared in Combined Police Service Examination, 2013 (CPSE-2013), conducted by Odisha Staff Selection Commission for the post of Sub Inspectors of Police, Sergeant and Deputy Subedar. The final merit list of the selected candidates was published in December, 2016. However, there was an impression that a second/ supplementary list will also be released.

With criminal conspiracy, Baikunthanath disguised as ASO of Home Department and Bhimsen Moharana as a senior official of the same department along with two others, who claimed to have contact with higher officials, gave false assurance to the aspirants to enlist their name in the supplementary selection list. Accused Baikunthanath demanded R 5 to 6 lakh from each of them for the purpose. Between May and November, 2020, the accused persons took Rs 1.47 crore from them.

During a raid on Baikunthanath’s house, many incriminating documents, including 12 ATM cards and fake ASO ID card were seized.

Further investigation is underway to identify and nab other accused in the case, said the Crime Branch urging people to come out and report if they have been cheated by the accused.