The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made a fresh arrest from Bihar, intensifying its probe into the massive sub-inspector recruitment scandal in Odisha. The agency apprehended a middleman, identified as Amit Bharti, on Monday, exposing further the inter-state network behind the alleged paper leak.
Inter-State Racket Unfolds
Amit Bharti (51), a small-scale businessman from Patna, was taken into custody by the CBI. According to agency sources, Bharti was allegedly working in collusion with fixers based in Odisha. His role was to approach candidates appearing for the Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE)-2024, promising them access to leaked question papers in exchange for a hefty sum of Rs 25 lakh.
This marks the second arrest from Bihar, underscoring the widespread nature of the conspiracy. Earlier, on December 10, the CBI had arrested another middleman, Nitesh Kumar, in connection with the same case.
Key Leads from Previous Arrests
The breakthrough leading to Bharti's arrest came from the interrogation of three individuals previously held by the Odisha Crime Branch: Shankar Prusty, Suresh Nayak, and Sagar Gouda. After their police remand ended, the trio was produced in a CBI court on Monday and subsequently sent to judicial custody.
Investigators allege that Prusty, who owns a private firm, and Nayak, a company promoter, were central figures in the plot. Their firms were reportedly contracted by a central public sector undertaking (PSU) that was hired by the Odisha Police to conduct the recruitment process. The accused are said to have collectively solicited bribes ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh from each aspirant in return for the exam papers.
Massive Recruitment Drive Cancelled
The now-cancelled recruitment drive was a major initiative to fill 933 posts within the Odisha police force. The vacancies included:
- 609 posts for Police Sub-Inspectors
- 253 posts for Armed Police Sub-Inspectors
- 47 posts for Fire Station Officers
- 24 posts for Assistant Jailers
The entire process was abruptly scrapped on September 30, merely days before the examinations were scheduled to be held on October 5 and 6.
Scale of the Scam and Investigation Timeline
The scandal has led to a staggering 130 arrests so far. The CBI has directly carried out 5 of these arrests. The case first came to light on September 30 when Berhampur police arrested 117 persons, which included 114 candidates. The Odisha Crime Branch later took over the investigation, arresting 8 middlemen. Finally, the CBI formally took charge of the probe on November 12, bringing its federal investigative powers to bear on the complex, multi-state racket.
The ongoing investigation continues to unravel the deep-rooted conspiracy that compromised a major state recruitment drive, leaving thousands of genuine candidates in the lurch and raising serious questions about the integrity of the hiring process.
