Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested former State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Director Manoj Padhi in connection with the alleged irregularities in the preparation and publication of school textbooks that triggered a major controversy across the state.

Padhi was taken into custody after prolonged questioning by the Crime Branch as part of its ongoing investigation into the large number of errors detected in newly published textbooks for Classes I to VIII. Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had placed him under suspension following the controversy.

The Crime Branch launched its investigation on the directions of the Chief Minister after receiving a written complaint from SCERT Director Madhusmita Sahu.

To ensure a comprehensive probe, the agency has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the direct supervision of the Crime Branch Superintendent of Police. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Narendra Kumar Behera has been appointed as the Investigating Officer.

According to officials, the investigation will scrutinise every stage of the textbook preparation process, including content creation, review, approval, printing, publication and distribution, to identify lapses and determine responsibility for the alleged irregularities.

The textbook controversy came to light after more than 1,600 errors were reportedly found in the newly published books for primary school students. The mistakes sparked widespread criticism from opposition parties, educationists, parents and other stakeholders, who questioned the quality control measures adopted in preparing educational materials for government schools.

The Crime Branch is expected to continue its investigation to identify the officials and individuals responsible for the lapses and recommend appropriate legal action based on its findings.