The CBI has announced Rs 1 Lakh cash reward for information on Siddharth Patra, an accused in the sensational 1999 Balasore sex scandal, who is still at large since September 28, 2001. Earlier, he had been declared proclaimed offender by a trial court.

Several efforts have been made to arrest Patra, but in vain. He was accused of criminal conspiracy and charged under sections 120B, 506 and 201 of the IPC.

The sex scandal had rocked the state after the victim, who was studying Plus III at KKS Women’s college in Balasore, was allegedly molested in an apartment in Bhubaneswar on July 9, 1999. She was taken to the apartment by Prabhasini Kar, a woman teacher of her college.

The victim had alleged that she was lured by her teacher on the promise of a job in Bhubaneswar. Kar was accused of exploiting the girls at the college on the pretext of providing them jobs in the district and state capital.