The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has escalated its investigation into the leak of the Odisha Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Recruitment Exam 2024 question papers, discovering evidence of systematic financial fraud and corporate involvement.
Officers from the ED’s Bhubaneswar zonal office executed raids at 12 strategic sites across Odisha and West Bengal, operating under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The operations uncovered significant digital evidence, financial records, and property documents that outline extensive illicit financial gains.
Background of the Recruitment Scandal
This issue first came to light on September 30, 2025, when Odisha Police stopped three buses near Ichchapuram at the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border. These buses were transporting 114 candidates to training locations where they were offered leaked exam papers in exchange for payments ranging from ₹15 lakh to ₹30 lakh each.
The syndicate also took possession of the candidates’ original academic certificates and blank cheques as collateral.
In response to the public backlash, the state government annulled the exam, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) assumed control of the main criminal investigation.
Unauthorized Subcontracting and Data Breaches
The investigation into money laundering highlights the mismanagement in the exam administration process. The Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) had initially outsourced the exam management to ITI Ltd, a central public sector unit, which then subcontracted the work to Silicon Techlab Pvt. Ltd. (STPL) based in Bhubaneswar.
ED officials reported that STPL’s Director, Suresh Chandra Nayak, unlawfully shared sensitive candidate information with an unapproved entity, Panchsoft Technologies Pvt. Ltd., led by Shankar Prusty.
Financial investigations show questionable monetary transfers between STPL and Prusty prior to the exam, suggesting a calculated scheme to profit from the leaked papers.
Undisclosed Share Transfers and Corporate Involvement
The ED’s financial examination also uncovered an undocumented change in ownership. A majority stake in STPL was discreetly transferred to PSIL International Ltd. (previously known as Pattanayak Steel International Ltd.) through an agreement made in August 2023.
This transfer, however, was not registered with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). Despite losing formal ownership, Nayak continued to engage with ITI Ltd. as STPL’s operational head, maintaining access to sensitive printing operations and question papers.
The involvement of PSIL Directors Sameer Rath and Swasti Mishra is currently under scrutiny for not notifying state authorities about the unauthorized management changes. Federal investigators anticipate issuing formal summons to key corporate figures as the investigation into the proceeds of crime broadens.
