The Odisha Police CID Crime Branch has formally arrested Manoj Kumar Padhy (57), former Director of TE & SCERT, in connection with the criminal conspiracy behind the preparation and publication of erroneous school textbooks for Classes I–VIII.
The arrest was made under CID CB PS Case No.08 dated July 13, 2026, registered under Sections 316(5), 201, 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Investigators found that Padhy, while serving as Director, was entrusted with overall supervision and approval of the textbook development process under NEP‑2020. He allegedly failed to discharge his duties and knowingly approved print‑ready manuscripts without verifying factual, scientific, geographical, translation, and pictorial content.
This negligence led to the publication and distribution of textbooks riddled with errors, causing wrongful loss to the State Exchequer estimated at Rs 175 crore and serious injury to public interest.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted, and Padhy will be produced before the JMFC‑III Court, Kataka later today. The Crime Branch emphasised that prima facie evidence against him is well established.
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Odisha Crime Branch Detains Former SCERT Director Manoj Padhi in Textbook Error Probe
