The CBI is conducting searches at 67 locations in Odisha in connection with an alleged recruitment fraud in the postal department, officials said Thursday.

The CBI action comes on an year old complaint from the postal department alleging 63 candidates of the Gramin Dak Sevaks Exam allegedly submitted fake certificates.

Over 204 officials, including 122 officers from the CBI and 82 personnel from other departments, swooped down at various premises in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, and Bhadrak with an objective of uncovering the interstate organised gang responsible for providing these fake certificates.

"These certificates were allegedly issued by the Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Allahabad; West Bengal Board, Kolkata; Jharkhand Academic Council, Ranchi; among others. The complaint suggests alleged involvement of an interstate racket in creating and supplying these forged certificates in collusion with the candidates," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

The searches are taking place nearly an year after the CBI registered an FIR on a complaint from the postal department alleging 63 candidates of the Gramin Dak Sevak Exam, 2023 (Odisha Circle) submitted forged or fake 10th pass certificates.

The postal department was recruiting for 1,382 posts of Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS), for which it had invited online applications on January 27, 2023 keeping the minimum qualification to be 10th pass from a recognised board, with proficiency in the local language being mandatory.

The aspirants were required to submit online their certificates and mark sheets on a centralised server, they said.

"Selection was automated based on the marks secured in the 10th standard. Selected candidates were informed via SMS and email and asked to report to the verifying authority within 15 days for document verification prior to their appointment," the CBI spokesperson said.

The verification of certificates by the Odisha postal circle showed that 63 candidates from various postal divisions, including Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, and Barhampur, had submitted forged or fake 10th pass certificates.

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