The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at 10 premises in Odisha and West Bengal in connection with the alleged question paper leak in the 2025 Odisha Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination, sources said.
ED officials from the Bhubaneswar zonal office searched eight locations in Odisha and two in neighbouring West Bengal as part of the investigation.
The case originated from an FIR registered by Odisha Police in October 2025 and was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
On October 30, 2025, police intercepted three buses carrying 114 candidates near Ichhapuram, close to the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, in connection with the alleged paper leak.
According to sources, the candidates were allegedly promised access to the question paper in exchange for payments ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh each.
An ED official said the question paper was allegedly leaked by individuals associated with entities engaged in conducting the examination. Intermediaries allegedly approached candidates with offers to provide the paper in exchange for money, while their original certificates were taken as security, the official added.
The examination was scheduled to be held on October 5 and 6, 2025.
(With inputs from PTI)