ED searches 10 premises in Odisha, Bengal over alleged SI recruitment exam paper leak
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday searched 10 premises across Odisha and West Bengal as part of an investigation into the alleged leak of the question paper for the 2024 Odisha Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination, sources said.
ED officials from the agency's Bhubaneswar zonal office conducted searches at eight locations in Odisha and two in neighbouring West Bengal, they said.
The investigation stems from an FIR registered by the Odisha Police in October 2025, which was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
On October 30 last year, police intercepted three buses carrying 114 candidates near Ichhapuram, close to the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, in connection with the alleged paper leak.
The examination was scheduled to be held on October 5 and 6, 2025.
According to sources, candidates were allegedly offered access to the question paper in exchange for payments ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh each.
An ED official said the question paper was allegedly leaked by individuals associated with entities responsible for conducting the examination.
Intermediaries allegedly approached candidates with offers to provide the question paper in return for money. The candidates' original certificates were reportedly taken as security, the official said. (with inputs from PTI)
