Bhubaneswar: The state crime branch has intensified its probe into the police sub-inspector recruitment scam and arrested another prime accused on Sunday.

In a statement, the agency said: “Based on evidence found against accused Arabinda Das, he was arrested today following sustained interrogation. Several incriminating materials have been seized from his possession. He is being forwarded to court. With his arrest, the number of people arrested in connection with the scam has risen to 119, including 114 candidates.”

The multi-crore scam surfaced on September 29 when police detained 114 candidates being taken to Andhra Pradesh in three buses for “special coaching” arranged by a private agency conducting the sub-inspector (SI) examination. It is alleged that each candidate paid ₹20 lakh to middlemen for access to leaked question papers and training ahead of the exams scheduled for October 5 and 6.

Addressing reporters, BJD leader and former minister Pritiranjan Ghadei said: “By ordering only a crime branch probe, the state government is protecting those at the top. The agency is arresting middlemen but not the masterminds.” The BJD plans to hold a protest rally on Monday at Master Canteen Square.

Earlier on Saturday, the crime branch had arrested another key accused, Biswaranjan Behera, a jawan of the Special Security Battalion previously posted at the state secretariat and even at the residence of the former chief minister. His mobile phone has been sent for forensic examination to retrieve deleted data linked to the scam.

The controversy has exposed major loopholes in the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB)’s examination process. The OPRB had initially entrusted ITI Limited to conduct the exam, which later outsourced the work to private firms Silicon and Panchsoft Pvt. Ltd.

Investigators are now searching for Shankar Prusty, head of Panchsoft Pvt. Ltd., suspected to be one of the key figures behind the recruitment racket.