Cong demands SIT inquiry into alleged OSSC graft

BHUBANESWAR: Alleging massive corruption in Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) after vigilance sleuths recently arrested the private secretary of one of its members for amassing disproportionate assets, the Congress on Saturday demanded probe by a special investigation team (SIT).
Vigilance sleuths recently arrested Biranchi Sahoo, private secretary to a member of the commission, in a disproportionate assets case. During an adjournment debate which the BJP did not participate having boycotted proceedings, the Congress demanded that the OSSC chairman and commission member be removed from their posts and the two brought under the purview of the inquiry.
Initiating the debate, Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra said circumstantial evidence indicate the involvement of the member and chairman of the OSSC in the corruption.
“How the concerned employee managed to remain in the post for more than two decades? Why did the state government hurriedly sent give him on compulsory retirement days after he was arrested by the vigilance sleuths? Is there any government circular in this regard? It seems the state government is trying its best to cover up the corruption,” said Mishra.
The Congress leader said since the chief minister always says he has zero tolerance towards corruption, the state government should immediately form an SIT to inquire into the role of the chairman and the member in the corruption.
Comparing the alleged corruption in OSSC with the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh, Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja said the future of thousands of youths has become uncertain because of the massive corruption in the staff selection commission.
“Nearly 114 admit cards were seized by vigilance from Sahoo’s house. How can we say that he is not involved in the recruitment process. Results of various examinations conducted by the OSSC were not declared for years, which gave scope for corruption,” said Saluja, demanding a CBI or SIT inquiry into the matter.
Parliamentary affairs minister Bikram Keshari Arukh, replying on behalf of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, said the concerned employee (Sahoo), who was arrested by the vigilance, had no role in recruitment conducted by the OSSC.
“The state government is committed to maintaining transparency in the recruitment process,” said Arukh.
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