Bhubaneswar, October 9 (Daily Kiran) : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in the high-profile sub-inspector recruitment exam paper leak case in Odisha. On October 9, the ED’s Bhubaneswar zone conducted simultaneous raids at ten locations in Odisha and West Bengal.
These searches targeted properties associated with the main accused, Shankar Prusty, and his associates. The case stems from an FIR filed by Odisha police in October 2025.
According to sources, the Odisha police stopped three buses on September 30, 2025, near Ichhapuram, located at the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border. There were 114 candidates on these buses, who were allegedly set to purchase the exam paper for amounts ranging from ₹15 to ₹30 lakh each ahead of the SIR recruitment exam scheduled for October 5 and 6, 2025.
Investigations revealed that the exam papers were reportedly leaked by individuals linked to the companies responsible for conducting the examination. Associates of the accused lured candidates with promises of providing the exam paper in exchange for money, even holding onto their original certificates as a guarantee.
Given the severity of the case, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recommended transferring the investigation from the Odisha Crime Branch to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The ED is now probing the matter from a money laundering perspective.
The investigation has unveiled the involvement of companies and entities previously outside the scope of inquiry. Sources indicate that the ED is examining a purported agreement signed between Silicon Techlab Private Limited and another entity, aimed at concealing the complete arrangements for conducting the exam under a subcontract from ITI/OPRB.
During the searches, transactions between Shankar Prusty’s company, Panchsoft Technologies Private Limited, and Silicon Techlab Private Limited were uncovered, predating the commencement of the OPS-E-2024 sub-inspector examination process.
ED sources stated, “The raids include Messrs Silicon Techlab Private Limited and Messrs Panchsoft Technologies Private Limited, along with their directors and other individuals. These entities were found to be deeply involved in the entire examination process. The potential roles of individuals connected to OPRB and other companies are also under investigation.”
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