Cuttack: In a major development in the Special OTET 2025 question paper leak case, the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested Prasant Kumar Khamari, a government school teacher from Kalahandi district, for his alleged involvement in leaking the examination paper.

Khamari, 56, who works at a government UP school in Bhejipadar under Bhawanipatna block, was identified as the person who hand-copied the leaked question paper and circulated it on social media platforms. The Special OTET exam, conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha, was scheduled to be held on July 20.

According to the Crime Branch, Khamari played a key role in the criminal conspiracy along with Bijay Kumar Mishra, the ex-cadre Working President of the State Ex-Cadre Teacher Association, Sanatan Bisoi, President of the Koraput district unit of the association, and other associates. The group allegedly obtained the original question paper from Jitan Maharana, a data entry operator at the BSE office in Cuttack, and created handwritten versions to hide the source of the leak.

Investigation revealed that Khamari targeted teachers who had failed in previous Special OTET exams and sold them the leaked paper for cash. He reportedly transferred ₹99,000 via PhonePe to the main accused, Bijay Kumar Mishra, after collecting the money from unsuspecting teachers. His bank transactions are currently under verification.

The Crime Branch seized Khamari’s mobile phone and obtained his handwriting samples, which will be sent to the Handwriting Bureau and Cyber Forensics Lab for analysis. He was arrested on July 31 and produced before the JMFC-III Court in Cuttack.

So far, a total of seven persons have been arrested in connection with the leak. Further investigation is underway to identify and nab other individuals linked to the racket.