Bhubaneswar: The Crime Branch of Odisha Police today arrested Shankar Prusty, the mastermind in the alleged Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination scam, from near Nepal border in Uttarakhand.  

Prusty had managed flee Odisha and travelled to Nepal via Delhi soon after the arrest of 114 SI aspirants in connection with the scam in last month, reports said.

A team of the Crime Branch nabbed Prusty from near Nepal border while he was trying to return India through Uttarakhand. He was reportedly planning to travel to Dubai, they added.

Lookout circular had been issued against Shankar Prusty

Earlier, the Crime Branch had issued lookout circulars against Prusty and his key associate Muna Mohanty in connection with the SI recruitment exam scam in Odisha. However, the cops had managed arrest Mohanty from Dasapalla area of Nayagarh on October 17.

Also Read: Odisha SI exam scam: 114 candidates get bail from Berhampur Vigilance Court

Initially, scheduled for October 5 and 6, the written tests of the SI recruitment examinations were postponed by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) on September 30.

The decision was taken in the wake of the arrest of 114 SI aspirants by the police in Berhampur on charges of paying substantial amounts to middlemen in an attempt to acquire the question papers.

State govt recommended CBI probe    

The state government recently recommended a CBI investigation into the alleged multi-crore scam related to cancelled police SI recruitment examinations. It is believed that the alleged scam has interstate implications.

Also Read: SI recruitment exam scam: Odisha Crime Branch raids key suspect Muna Mohanty’s house

“The state government has decided to transfer the investigation to the CBI in the wake of allegations of largescale irregularities in the SI recruitment exams. The Crime Branch probe indicates the potential involvement of interstate organised criminal gangs,” said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).