Odisha terminates empanelment of Bhubaneswar-based IT firm linked to Police SI recruitment scam

Bhubaneswar: In a major development in the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam, the State Government today terminated the Tier-I empanelment of Silicon Tech Lab Pvt Ltd, a Bhubaneswar-based IT firm.

The action comes weeks after the Crime Branch arrested the firm’s owner, Suresh Nayak, for his alleged role in manipulating the recruitment examination. Silicon Tech Lab had been empanelled under the E&IT Department’s Tier-I category in September 2023.

According to the official notification, the termination was issued for multiple violations of key provisions of the Service Agreement for Empanelment of Software Firms executed with the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC).

The SI recruitment examination was originally awarded to ITI Limited, a central public sector undertaking headquartered in Kolkata. ITI Limited subsequently sub-contracted the assignment to Silicon Tech Lab, which further passed on critical responsibilities to another Bhubaneswar-based company, Panchsoft Technologies.

The Crime Branch had earlier arrested Shankar Prusty, the owner of Panchsoft Technologies, near the Nepal border in Uttarakhand.

Investigators allege both Nayak and Prusty were involved in question paper leaks and had collected ₹20–25 lakh from each of the 114 arrested aspirants.

Acting on recommendations from the State Government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now taken over the probe. A DSP-rank officer has been appointed as the Investigating Officer, and a specialised team has been formed to conduct a thorough inquiry.