PS to OSSC Member was running insurance business: Odisha Vigilance

Bhubaneswar, Aug 6: Vigilance has found Private Secretary (PS) to Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) member Biranchi Narayan Sahoo of running an insurance business in the name of his wife since 2009. Sahoo was earlier arrested after he was found in possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income to the tune of Rs 3.51 crore. Vigilance officials said that insurance policies of more than 900 subscribers have been solicited by Sahoo till date. “A number of these are suspected to be candidates of various OSSC exams and it is alleged that he was influencing applicants to subscribe to such policies. So far, names of 21 subscribers have been traced in the list, who were also candidates of various OSSC conducted exams. The subscriber details are being scrutinised and further verification is being done to ascertain if candidates were being solicited by Sahoo for such insurance policies,” said an official. A total of 114 admit cards of candidates of various OSSC examinations were found during search conducted on residential building of Sahoo at Niladri Vihar in Bhubaneswar.During verification, names of 107 candidates were not found in any select list. Further scrutiny is going on. “Bank transactions, investments in mutual funds and shares and payment of insurance policy premiums by Sahoo and his family members are being further verified,” added the official.