Odisha SI Recruitment Scam Deepens: CBI Arrests Two More, Widens Probe Into Police Board Officials

Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested two more persons in Bhubaneswar—SSB jawan Arjun Nayak and alleged middleman Nimai Charan Sahu—in connection with the widening Police Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam in Odisha.

The duo was taken into custody after two days of sustained interrogation. Sources said Nimai is a close aide of earlier arrested middleman Biranchi Nayak, who remains in CBI remand and is believed to be a key link in the racket. All three underwent mandatory medical examinations before being brought to the CBI office for further questioning.

Officials said investigators are now analysing the financial trail and the suspects’ roles in facilitating illegal transactions and manipulating the recruitment process. The CBI is conducting face-to-face interrogations to map the broader network and uncover the modus operandi used to compromise the highly competitive SI examination.

The arrests mark a significant development in what has emerged as one of Odisha’s largest recruitment frauds. Earlier, the Crime Branch had arrested 12 individuals in connection with the scam. With the detention of Biranchi Nayak and the two latest accused, the number of suspects under CBI custody has now risen to 13.

In a parallel development, Arabinda Das, in charge of the Digha model centre, has been placed on a two-day CBI remand for extensive questioning regarding alleged involvement in examination malpractices.

Sources also confirmed that four officials of the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB)—including a DSP-rank officer—are now under the scanner. Investigators are probing their potential complicity and whether they colluded with middlemen to facilitate the irregularities. Biranchi Nayak is also reported to be a close associate of Shankar Prusty, identified as the alleged mastermind behind the scam.

With multiple high-profile arrests and widening institutional scrutiny, the investigation has escalated into one of the most far-reaching recruitment probes in the state’s recent history.