A bitter personal breakup has exposed the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) Drug Inspector recruitment examination paper leak, resulting in the arrest of six individuals—including the very man who initially blew the whistle on the scheme, according to Mumbai Police Crime Branch records.
How the MPSC Drug Inspector Exam Leak Unraveled
The scandal centers around the March 22 recruitment examination for 154 Group B gazetted posts in the Food and Drug Administration, which drew roughly 44,500 candidates across the state’s six revenue divisions. Investigators allege that 24-year-old Lokesh, also known as Gaurav Patil, received the leaked question paper beforehand from his then-girlfriend, Rutuja. Crime Branch DCP Raj Tilak Roushan stated that Patil initially approached the MPSC claiming to possess information about a leak. However, subsequent inquiries revealed that Patil was a direct recipient of the compromised test material.
According to police findings, Patil turned whistleblower out of fear that Rutuja would move on after securing a government job following their breakup. After emailing the MPSC under the guise of an applicant’s friend to allege the March 22 exam was compromised, Patil followed up on the complaint. Concurrently, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar raised separate concerns in late July regarding candidates at a Nandurbar coaching institute receiving questions two days prior to testing. This prompted the MPSC to involve the Mumbai Police, leading the Crime Branch’s Property Cell to take over the investigation.
Middlemen and MPSC Employees Implicated in the Conspiracy
The chain of custody for the leaked test papers traces back through familial and official connections, per police statements. Investigators discovered that ahead of the exam, 55-year-old Amrut Patil—Rutuja’s father—contacted middleman Pravin Patil, 40, both residing in Nandurbar. Pravin allegedly maintained ties with three MPSC employees: Assistant Section Officers Vishveshwar Nakate, 35, and Gopal Marate, 37, alongside Undersecretary Abhijeet Lendave.
Police state that Pravin paid Rs 5 lakh to the MPSC officials, with promises of further compensation, to procure the question paper. Amrut subsequently delivered the material to Rutuja days before the test. Because Gaurav’s brother was also scheduled to take the exam, Rutuja forwarded the paper to Gaurav via WhatsApp two days prior. Rutuja ultimately appeared for the examination and secured the seventh rank on the provisional merit list of 488 candidates published on July 22, following the June 12 declaration of results that qualified 506 applicants for interviews.
Investigation Progress and Subsequent Arrests
As the Crime Branch deepened its probe, investigators recorded Gaurav Patil’s initial statement. Police noted that as officers closed in on him, Patil attempted to backtrack by returning to the MPSC to claim confusion regarding the examination process. Investigators rejected this defense, with one officer remarking that a genuine whistleblower would have alerted authorities prior to the exam rather than after a personal fallout. “If he was indeed a whistleblower, he should’ve alerted MPSC before the exam,” an officer noted.
The Crime Branch formally shared its findings with the MPSC on Tuesday and registered an First Information Report (FIR). On Wednesday, authorities arrested six individuals and presented them before a court, which remanded the suspects to police custody. A notice was also issued to Rutuja regarding the investigation.
Official Response and Examination Cancellation
Reacting to the Crime Branch report, the MPSC officially cancelled the March 22 Drug Inspector recruitment examination. Officials announced that a fresh examination will be scheduled, and candidates who participated in the cancelled process will be exempt from submitting new applications. Legal proceedings and custody hearings for the six arrested suspects could progress further as the Crime Branch finalizes its case files for court submission.
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