A company at the heart of the Odisha Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination scandal, which was later blacklisted by the state government, had initially received a clean chit from the crime branch regarding its integrity. This revelation comes from an official letter accessed by The Times of India.
The Clean Chit and Subsequent Scandal
Silicon Techlab Pvt Ltd, whose director Suresh Nayak is now in judicial custody, was hired by central public sector unit ITI Limited. Odisha Police had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ITI Limited for the overall conduct of the SI exam. Documents show that ITI sought approval from the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) to engage Silicon Techlab as a third-party vendor for preparing and printing the question papers.
On July 31, 2025, the OPRB wrote to the crime branch, requesting a thorough background and integrity check of the company. Deputy Superintendent of Police Diptimayee Mallick submitted her inquiry report on August 4, 2025, finding no adverse remarks against Silicon Techlab. The very next day, the company was formally appointed as the vendor for the SI recruitment exam.
The crime branch's verification report described Silicon Techlab as a provider of enterprise-grade IT services to multiple government departments across India. The company had an extensive portfolio, having worked with the governments of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and Delhi, as well as several central departments.
The Unraveling of the SI Recruitment Scam
The situation took a dramatic turn when the recruitment exam, scheduled for October 5 and 6, 2025, was cancelled on September 30, 2025 following allegations of a paper leak. The scam first came to light on September 30, 2024, when Berhampur police arrested 117 people, including candidates and middlemen. The crime branch later took over the probe and arrested director Suresh Nayak on November 3, 2024.
A recently filed CBI chargesheet revealed the alleged modus operandi: Silicon Techlab, tasked with preparing the question papers, is accused of swapping them during the printing process at a press in Kolkata.
Following the scandal, the state government cancelled Silicon Techlab's empanelment on December 3, 2025. Later, on December 23, 2025, the Orissa High Court blacklisted the company for five years over alleged irregularities in the recruitment of assistant section officers for the High Court in July 2025.
Questions Raised Over Verification Process
The case has raised serious questions about the efficacy of the pre-appointment verification process. Retired police officer P K Swain criticized the crime branch's investigation, stating it should have been more rigorous for a company handling sensitive recruitment processes since 2018. He argued that all of Silicon Techlab's previous engagements should now come under CBI scrutiny.
In its defense, the crime branch has stood by its original report. A crime branch officer stated that at the time of the background verification, no wrongdoing or prior criminal cases against the company were found. The officer emphasized that the director was arrested as soon as evidence emerged during their probe.
This sequence of events—from a clean chit to a major scandal and blacklisting—highlights significant lapses in the vetting process for vendors involved in critical government recruitment exercises, shaking public trust in the system.
