Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jun 3:

In a shocking revelation in the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER) college fake placement case in Odisha, arrested consultant Manas Ranjan Nayak today said that Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, the varsity that runs the college, had offered him a job for which he wanted to help it in return.

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"SOA university had offered me a job and I wanted to help them in return. There is no monetary transaction involved in it. I didn't take a single rupee for it. The help was complimentary," Manas told reporters.

He also rubbished the allegation of being a middleman between the recruiting companies and the ITER college.

"I had given reference for recruitment purpose but I wasn't directly involved in it. I didn't play the role of middleman between the companies and ITER college," he said.

On being asked about his relation with ITER Dean (Placement) Rajkishore Hota, who has also been arrested, Manas said, "I came to know him 6-7 months before the campus placement drive."

Manas, hailing from Balia under Salipur police station in Cuttack district, was yesterday arrested by Twin City Commissionerate police from Puri.

He has been arrested under Sections 468, 471, 420, 419, 34 of the IPC.

"Manas coordinated the whole fake placement process hiring personnel to conduct interviews," Twin City Commissioner of Police YB Khurania had said.

Also read: SOA ITER fake placement: Consultancy firm chief arrested.

Notably, as many as 50 students of the college functioning under Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University had alleged that they got fake job letters for recruitment in many leading companies during the campus placement drive.

The university registrar had lodged a complaint with Khandagiri police against the consultancy firm associated with the campus placement drive following which a case a registered.

Police had earlier arrested ITER Dean (Placement) Rajkishore Hota for his alleged involvement in the fake recruitment.