Cuttack, Sep 2: The Orissa High Court has issued an interim order, directing the Crime Branch to assume control of the investigation into the question paper leak case related to the Junior Engineer (Civil) main examination conducted by the Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC).
This decision comes as a significant step in the ongoing investigation.
Under the court's directive, the investigation will be conducted under the oversight of a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) ranked official.
The High Court has also raised concerns about the involvement of a Kolkata-based private printing press in producing the question papers for this government examination, adding another layer of scrutiny to the case.
In a notable relief for the aspirants affected by the cancellation of the written examination, those who had previously qualified will be given the opportunity to retake the test. However, the final outcome of their performance will be determined based on the outcome of the earlier legal proceedings and petitions.
The origins of this case trace back to July 23 when the OSSC decided to cancel the JE (Civil) main examination, which had taken place on July 16, following confirmation of a question paper leak by the Balasore Superintendent of Police (SP). As a result of this cancellation, the commission rescheduled the examination for September 3. Notably, the investigation into the case has led to the arrest of 27 individuals thus far.