Maharashtra drug-inspector exam leak arrests rise to 11

The number of people arrested in the alleged leak of a Maharashtra Public Service Commission Drug Inspector examination paper has risen to 11, Mumbai Crime Branch said. Investigators arrested two candidates and two alleged middlemen on September 24 in Sangli, Buldhana and Navi Mumbai. Police identified the candidates as Sajid Sande and Vijay Kingar, and the alleged intermediaries as Sandip Khalate and Bhairavnath Kadam.

The case was registered at Cuffe Parade police station on August 25 before being transferred to the Crime Branch. It is being investigated under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Police allege that a question paper selected by experts and held in the MPSC’s confidential section was obtained through unauthorised means and circulated for financial gain.

Investigators say the alleged conduct compromised the confidentiality and fairness of the examination. Earlier arrests included MPSC Under Secretary Abhijit Lende; Assistant Section Officers Vishweshwar Nakate and Gopal Marathe, who worked in the confidential section; Kautilya Academy director Pravin Patil; alleged intermediaries Amrut Patil and Lokesh, also known as Gaurav Patil; and candidate Rutuja Patil. The examination was held on March 22 at six centres across Maharashtra.

It was conducted to recruit 154 Drug Inspector, Group-B officers for the state Food and Drug Administration. The Crime Branch said a special investigation team was examining the alleged circulation of the confidential paper. The arrests cover people described by police as officials, candidates and intermediaries, but the allegations remain subject to the investigation and any subsequent court proceedings.