Odisha school textbook errors: Crime Branch arrests former SCERT Director Manoj Kumar Padhy

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Bhubaneswar: Odisha Crime Branch has reportedly arrested former State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Director Manoj Kumar Padhy in connection with the school textbook errors

The vigilance sleuths arrested the former SCERT Director nearly four hours after interrogating him over the severe errors found across 55 new textbooks for Classes 1 to 8.

Following his arrest as prima facie evidence is well established against him under sections 316(5), 201, 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Padhy will be produced before Ld. JMFC-III, Cuttack.

Earlier he was suspended by the state government.

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Crime Branch initiated an investigation into the criminal conspiracy relating to preparation, approval, processing and publication of school textbooks for Classes I to VIII after registering CID CB PS Case No.08 dtd 13.07.2026 U/s. 316(5)/201/3(5)/61(2) of BNS – 2023.

During course of investigation, it has been found out that Padhy while functioning as the then Director, TE & SCERT was entrusted with the overall supervision, coordination, monitoring and approval of the textbook development process under NEP-2020, said the probe agency.

He dishonestly failed to discharge the official duties entrusted to him and knowingly approved and forwarded print-ready manuscripts for publication without ensuring verification of their factual, scientific, geographical, translation and pictorial contents amounting to criminal negligence, said adding that such acts and omissions resulted in publication and distribution of erroneous textbooks, causing wrongful loss to the State Exchequer to the tune of approximately Rs 175 Crores and corresponding injury to public interest.

Investigation of the case is in progress.

Also Read: Odisha: Crime Branch Probe Into Textbook Errors, CM Directs SCERT To File FIR

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