The Odisha police recently made a significant breakthrough, arresting 114 hopeful candidates for the Sub-Inspector position. These individuals were reportedly traveling by bus outside the state, allegedly to acquire leaked question papers for the eagerly anticipated Combined Police Service Examination (CPSE) 2024.
This massive crackdown began following intelligence reports of widespread irregularities planned for the upcoming CPSE-2024, an examination overseen by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB). A specialized team from Berhampur Police successfully intercepted three air-conditioned sleeper buses close to the Andhra Pradesh border. According to Saravana Vivek M, the Berhampur Superintendent of Police, a thorough check revealed 117 passengers aboard, with 114 of them—including eight women—being registered applicants for the Sub-Inspector recruitment test.
Interestingly, these examinations, originally slated for October 5 and 6, had already been pushed back due to previous allegations of misconduct.
SP Saravana Vivek M elaborated that the suspicious nature of the large group prompted further investigation. It was discovered that all 114 candidates boarded the buses in Bhubaneswar, near Baramunda, en route to a secret location in Vizianagaram. They were being escorted by three agents, who themselves were working under the direction of other, higher-level operatives. Berhampur police have confirmed that this scheme was part of an organized effort to compromise the integrity of the upcoming Sub-Inspector examination. Their objective, as revealed by the SP, was to clandestinely obtain the confidential question papers in Vizianagaram, then return to Bhubaneswar to sit for the exam with an unfair advantage.
Preliminary findings indicate that each aspiring candidate had reportedly agreed to pay a staggering ₹25 lakh for the leaked papers, with an initial payment of ₹10 lakh and the remaining ₹15 lakh to be paid upon securing the job.
The ongoing investigation has also uncovered the involvement of numerous other agents in this extensive illicit operation. An FIR has been filed at the Golanthara Police station in Ganjam district, and the arrested individuals face charges under various sections of The Odisha Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024. They have since been presented before the court, while the Crime Branch of Odisha police continues to delve deeper into the complexities of the case.
Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik voiced his profound concern over yet another examination cancellation, highlighting that this marks the fourth recruitment test scrapped since July 2025 due to allegations of malpractice and question paper leaks. He expressed shock at the repeated disruptions, particularly the cancellation of the Combined Police Service Examination 2024 for Sub-Inspectors by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board.
Mr. Patnaik further elaborated on the alarming trend, citing specific instances: the Special Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET)-2025 was cancelled hours before it began on July 20 due to a paper leak; the Odisha Subordinate Staff Section Commission halted its Combined Recruitment Examination (for revenue inspector, assistant revenue inspector, and Amin) from July 30-31, citing preliminary process irregularities; and the rescheduled special OTET-2025 was again postponed on August 22, causing immense frustration among aspirants. The former Chief Minister stressed that these persistent disruptions reveal a deeply problematic pattern within Odisha’s recruitment framework, eroding public trust and negatively impacting countless job seekers throughout the state.