Bhubaneswar, Aug 10: In a significant development in the Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) question paper leak case, the Additional District and Sessions Judge-III in Cuttack has directed the Crime Branch to submit the case diary ahead of an upcoming bail hearing.
The directive comes as the court prepares to hear the bail petition of Nihar Mohanty, Vice President of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), who was arrested for his alleged role in the leak. Mohanty is the eighth person to be arrested in connection with the scandal, and his bail hearing is scheduled for August 18.
According to the ongoing investigation, Mohanty is accused of sharing the question paper with data entry operator Jitan Moharana, who subsequently leaked it to other individuals. The Crime Branch has seized several electronic devices and is analyzing financial transactions linked to the case.
Investigators have also uncovered that Mohanty had a questionable association with Moharana and had intentionally provided him access to a laptop containing the examination materials, which facilitated the leak. A financial probe is currently underway, along with efforts to identify additional individuals who may be involved.
