Bhubaneswar: A day after the Odisha Crime Branch arrested former State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Director Manoj Padhi in connection with the alleged textbook irregularities case, the owners of a private printing firm linked to the matter have approached the Orissa High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
Reports said Asim Ghosh and Anupam Ghosh, owners of Jagannath Process Pvt. Ltd., filed separate petitions before the High Court apprehending possible arrest as the Crime Branch intensifies its investigation into the alleged lapses in the publication of school textbooks.
The petitions are seen as a precautionary move amid the ongoing probe into large-scale errors detected in newly printed textbooks for Classes I to VIII.
Padhi was arrested by the Crime Branch on Tuesday after prolonged questioning. His arrest came days after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi placed him under suspension following the controversy over the publication of error-ridden textbooks.
The Crime Branch initiated its investigation on the Chief Minister’s directions after receiving a written complaint from incumbent SCERT Director Madhusmita Sahu.
To conduct a comprehensive probe, the agency has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the direct supervision of the Crime Branch Superintendent of Police. Deputy Superintendent of Police Narendra Kumar Behera has been designated as the Investigating Officer.
According to officials, the investigation will scrutinise every stage of the textbook production process, including content preparation, review, approval, printing, publication and distribution, to identify procedural lapses and fix responsibility.
The issue came to light after more than 1,600 errors were reportedly detected in newly published textbooks meant for primary school students, sparking widespread criticism from opposition parties, educationists, parents and other stakeholders. The Crime Branch is continuing its investigation into the alleged irregularities.
