Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at 10 premises in Odisha and West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation linked to the alleged leakage of the question paper for the Odisha Sub-Inspector (SI) Recruitment Examination-2024.
The searches covered Silicon Techlab Pvt Ltd and Panchsoft Technology Pvt Ltd, their directors, and other persons allegedly linked to the case, according to reports.
The ED’s Bhubaneswar Zonal Office launched the operation early in the morning in coordination with the state police and other security personnel. The searches were conducted based on inputs concerning suspects allegedly connected to the examination paper leak case.
The case originated from an FIR registered by Odisha Police in October 2025 and was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Odisha Police had registered the case after intercepting three buses carrying 114 candidates near Ichhapuram, a border town between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, on September 30, 2025.
The candidates were allegedly being transported as part of a scheme involving the leakage of the question paper for the SI recruitment examination, which was scheduled to be held on October 5 and 6, 2025. According to the case details, the alleged deal involved payments ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh per candidate.
Investigators suspect that individuals associated with the entities entrusted with conducting the examination were involved in the alleged question paper leak.
According to reports, associates of the accused allegedly approached candidates and offered to provide them with the question paper in exchange for money. The candidates’ original certificates were allegedly collected as security.
Further details of the searches, including whether any seizures were made, were not immediately available.
