Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has officially taken over the investigation into the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam on Thursday.
According to reports, a team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank officer will now lead the probe, with a dedicated team formed to conduct a thorough inquiry.
Meanwhile, the CBI has registered a case in this connection and requested all relevant documents from the Crime Branch, which had initially investigated the case.
However, the Crime Branch will assist the CBI as needed, providing any additional evidence or information that comes up during the probe, said sources.
It is pertinnent to mention that the Central Government on Tuesday approved a CBI probe into the Police Sub-Inspector recruitment exam scam following a recommendation from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The CM cited the involvement of an inter-state organised syndicate and the spread of corruption to multiple states, including Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, as reasons for seeking the central agency’s intervention.
On the other hand, Crime Branch on Wednesday had arrested the principal associate and close aide of the prime accused, Shankar Prusty, in connection with the SI scam case.
The arrested accused has been identified as Sagar Kumar Gouda (22), a resident of Balipada village under Berhampur Sadar police limits in Ganjam district. He was presently staying at Qtr No. F1, MKCG Medical Campus under Baidyanathpur police station limits in Berhampur.
