Odisha Police SI Recruitment Scam Mastermind Shankar Prusty Brought to Bhubaneswar After Arrest Near Indo-Nepal Border

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Crime Branch on Sunday brought alleged mastermind of the police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination scam, Shankar Prusty, to Bhubaneswar after arresting him from Uttarakhand near the Indo-Nepal border.

Prusty, the owner of Panchsoft Technologies, had been absconding since the scam came to light. He was reportedly planning to flee abroad when a special team intercepted him late Saturday night, acting on specific intelligence inputs.

After being detained, Prusty was flown from New Delhi to Bhubaneswar under heavy security and taken straight to the Crime Branch headquarters in Cuttack for interrogation. His formal arrest memo and transit procedures were completed in the national capital before departure.Speaking briefly to reporters, Prusty denied all allegations and maintained that he was being framed. “These are baseless accusations. I have faith in the judiciary and will soon get bail. I have no connection with Muna Mohanty or any of the accused candidates,” he said, adding that he has already approached the Orissa High Court and the Supreme Court for relief.

According to officials, Crime Branch investigators had been tracking Prusty’s movements across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand after he went underground following the exposure of large-scale irregularities in the Odisha Police SI recruitment exam conducted by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB).

The agency suspects Prusty of being the key conspirator behind the paper leak and cash-for-seat racket. His firm, Panchsoft Technologies, allegedly played a central role in accessing and distributing confidential question papers, which were sold to aspirants through a network of agents.

The Crime Branch has reportedly recovered evidence, including digital communications and financial transactions, linking him to the scam.