Overview
- Former SCERT director Manoj Kumar Padhy was arrested by the Odisha Crime Branch on Tuesday, July 14, after investigators said prima facie evidence showed criminal negligence in approving flawed textbooks.
- The CID‑Crime Branch is handling Case No. 08/2026 after a written complaint by SCERT director Madhusmita Sahoo, and the case is registered under sections 316(5), 201, 3(5) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- Teachers and reviewers flagged more than 1,600 factual, spelling and grammatical errors across Class 1–8 books, including an entry that described Isaac Newton as a pilot, raising questions about content checks.
- A state inquiry led by Development Commissioner D K Singh prompted suspension of Padhy and three assistant directors and disciplinary action against six others, and the Crime Branch says the flawed rollout caused an estimated Rs 175 crore loss.
- Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi suggested the errors could be part of a plot to discredit the government and the opposition BJD demanded names of any conspirators; investigators say they are still collecting records and may question more officials and contributors.