After a month-long manhunt, the Crime Branch has arrested Shankar Prusty, the alleged mastermind of the sensational Odisha Police SI exam recruitment scandal, near the Nepal border in Uttarakhand. He was brought to Bhubaneswar on Sunday, and a Fortuner car was seized.
Prusty, who had fled to Nepal, denied all charges upon arrest, claiming the accusations are false and that he was fighting legally. The Crime Branch has already arrested over 120 people in the case.
The scam involved charging candidates up to ₹25 lakh each and taking them to Andhra Pradesh (Srikakulam) to provide answers and practice question papers before the exam.
This major breakthrough is expected to reveal more links, which are suspected to extend to other states and involve leaders and coaching center owners. The SI exam, originally scheduled for March 2025, was already canceled thrice.