Bhubaneswar, July 17: The Crime Branch on Friday stepped up its investigation into the large-scale errors found in Odisha school textbooks by conducting a search and inquiry at the headquarters of the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) in Bhubaneswar.

A five-member Crime Branch team, led by DSP Narendra Behera, visited the OSEPA office as part of the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in the preparation, review and publication of textbooks for government schools.

During the investigation, four officers of the Crime Branch questioned OSEPA Deputy Director Itishree Nayak regarding the procedures followed during the drafting, scrutiny and approval of the textbooks before they were printed and distributed to students.

Investigators are examining whether the prescribed guidelines were followed at every stage of the textbook preparation process and are trying to identify lapses that resulted in numerous factual, typographical and printing errors. The team is also collecting documents and other evidence to determine the role and accountability of officials associated with the publication process.

The latest action comes as the Crime Branch continues to widen its investigation into the textbook irregularities that have triggered widespread concern across the state. Officials said the probe is focused on identifying those responsible for the lapses and ensuring accountability.

The investigation is expected to continue in the coming days, with more officials likely to be questioned as the Crime Branch gathers additional evidence to establish the sequence of events and fix responsibility for the errors in the school textbooks.

Powered by Froala Editor