Bhubaneswar: Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhubaneswar Zonal Office has conducted search operation at 12 premises located at Odisha and West Bengal in connection with leakage of question paper of Sub Inspector Recruitment Exam-2024 in Odisha.During the searches which was done on October 9, 10 and 12, premises of M/s Silicon Techlab Private Limited, M/s Panchsoft Technologies Private Limited, M/s PSIL International Limited and their directors along with other associate persons were covered and various incriminating documents/devices/records were found and seized, as per the provisions of PMLA, 2002 which are under further examination.The ED in a press release informed that the case emanates from FIR filed by Odisha Police in October 2025 when Odisha police, on 30.09.2025, intercepted three buses carrying 114 candidates of Sl recruitment Exam-2024 near the bordering area of Ichhapuram (Border town of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha) for leaking the question paper of Sl recruitment exam scheduled to be conducted on 5th and 6th October 2025 in lieu of cash ranging between Rs 15 to Rs 30 Lakh per candidate. The case was subsequently transferred to CBI.The question paper was allegedly leaked by the persons associated with the entities to whom the work of conducting exam was assigned. Candidates were approached by their associates and they were lured for providing the question paper in lieu of money and their original certificates were taken as a guarantee. As per the charge-sheet filed by CBI, various irregularities also took place with respect to the question paper during March 2025 when the same exam was scheduled earlier which was later on cancelled by Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB). During the search, it was ascertained that the OPRB assigned the work of conducting the exam to ITI Limited which is Central Government PSU. In turn, ITI Limited handed over the work to M/s Silicon Techlab Private Limited (STPL) based in Bhubaneswar. However, M/s STPL through its director, Suresh Chandra Nayak, without the written permission of ITI Limited, engaged third party M/s Panchsoft Technology Private Limited for handling sensitive information of the candidates in connivance with its director Sankar Prusty.Subsequently, the persons linked with Silicon Techlab and Sankar Prusty approached the candidates and lured them with the promise of providing the confidential information of exam paper in lieu of money and mobilized them. The investigation has uncovered a set of transactions between accused Sankar Prusty (Director of Panchsoft Technologies Pvt Ltd) and STPL even before the commencement of the SI Recruitment Exam-2024 process which shows their connivance.During investigation it is revealed that majority shareholding of Silicon Techlab were taken over by PSIL International Limited (Earlier known as Patnaik Steel International Limited) and its directors Sameer Rath and his wife Saswati Mishra under a purported share purchase agreement dated 5.8.2023 which is under further examination by ED. Investigation revealed that the said agreement was never submitted before Registrar of Companies by either of the two companies.During investigation, it is further noticed that despite taking controlling stake and management control of STPL by the Directors of PSIL, Suresh Chandra Nayak continued to be a director in STPL and made correspondences with ITI Limited regarding conducting of Sl recruitment exam without having authorization from the company. Further, despite knowing this fact that Suresh Chandra Nayak was unauthorizedly handling the work of Sl recruitment Exam, Sameer Rath or Swasti Mishra did not inform the same to ITI Limited. Later on, Suresh Chandra Nayak, unauthorizedly accessed the exam papers.Investigation and searches conducted so far has unearthed the role of companies/entities which have so far remained outside the investigative net of agencies.Further, searches have also revealed the possible role of other persons including those associated with OPRB & other companies/ entities. Such entities have been found to be intricately linked with the entire examination cycle.The investigation conducted so far along with the evidences collected during search, indicate that leakage of question paper took place in an organized manner and huge proceeds of crime were generated in the form of cash received from the candidates.
Odisha SI paper leak: ED intensifies probe, exposes alleged multi-crore racket; three companies and key directors under scanner
