Odisha: Crime Branch registers case over school textbook irregularities

Bhubaneswar, July 13 (IANS) The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has formally taken over the investigation into the irregularities in the preparation, approval and publication of school textbooks for Classes I to VIII in the state, with the registration of a case in this regard on Monday.

According to an official statement, the Crime Branch officials said that, based on a written complaint lodged by Madhusmita Sahoo, Director of Teacher Education & State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the Crime Branch has registered Case No. 08/2026. The case has been registered under Sections 316(5), 201, 3(5) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

“The investigation of the case is being undertaken by Narendra Kumar Behera, DSP, CID CB, under the supervision of SP, CID, CB. Multiple teams are constituted for looking into the various aspects of the investigation relating to preparation, approval, processing and publication of school textbooks for Classes I to VIII,” informed the Crime Branch.

It is worth noting that, taking the errors found in the school textbooks for Classes I to VIII seriously, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on July 11, made an important decision and directed that a criminal investigation be conducted into the entire process of preparation, approval, and publication of the textbooks.

He also directed the Director of SCERT to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) with the Superintendent of Police (SP), Crime Branch, to facilitate an independent investigation into the matter.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had constituted a committee, chaired by the Development Commissioner, to ascertain the reasons for the errors in the school textbooks.

Based on the committee’s findings, the former Director of SCERT and three Assistant Directors were placed under suspension, while disciplinary proceedings were ordered against six other Assistant Directors.

Notably, the newly published textbooks were found to contain hundreds of errors, triggering widespread criticism and putting the state government in an embarrassing position.

–IANS

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