The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the sub-inspector (SI) recruitment scam in Odisha, has uncovered a brazen act of deception. The agency found that a private company, entrusted with preparing and printing the examination papers, secretly swapped the question sets at a printing press in Kolkata. This switch was carried out without the knowledge of the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB).
The Cancelled Exams and CBI Findings
The recruitment examinations, originally scheduled for October 5 and 6, 2025, were abruptly cancelled on September 30 following serious allegations of a question paper leak. According to a recently filed CBI chargesheet, the root of the scam lies in this unauthorized swap.
The chargesheet names Suresh Chandra Nayak, director of Silicon Techlab Private Limited, as a key accused. His company was assigned the critical task of preparing, printing, and transporting the question papers. The document states that Nayak changed the question paper packets at the Kolkata press on September 10, 2025, keeping OPRB officials completely in the dark.
How the Question Paper Swap Was Executed
The CBI's investigation outlines a detailed sequence of events. Silicon Techlab had prepared five sets of question papers. From these, the OPRB was to select one for the final printing. The board chose packet number 5.
However, Nayak pressed for an additional set to be kept on standby, citing unforeseen circumstances. The board agreed and selected packet number 3 as the backup. On September 9, 2025, OPRB chairman Susanta Nath (an ADG-ranked IPS officer), member Awinash Kumar (IGP), and Nayak visited the Kolkata printing press. There, they formally handed over packet number 5 for printing.
The very next day, September 10, Nayak returned to the press alone. It was during this solo visit that he allegedly executed the swap, substituting the authorized packet with another. The chargesheet is notably silent on the role of the printing press authorities, who permitted this change without alerting the OPRB—a point of contention for affected candidates.
Links to a Previous Recruitment Scam
This is not an isolated incident. The CBI chargesheet highlights that several other accused in this case were also involved in an alleged question paper leak for the SI recruitment exam scheduled earlier in March 2025. Those named include Arabinda Das, Lokanath Sahoo, Muna Mohanty, and Shankar Prusty.
That earlier exam, set for March 8 and 9, 2025, was cancelled on March 6. While the chargesheet confirms their involvement, it does not detail the exact circumstances or source of the March leak. For the March exams, a Vadodara-based company was selected to prepare the questions. Its contract was cancelled on May 28, 2025, after an anonymous tip-off alleged large-scale corruption, leading to the exam's cancellation.
The unfolding scandal raises serious questions about the security protocols governing high-stakes recruitment processes and the accountability of private agencies hired by state boards.
