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Investigators are now trying to establish the exact chain through which the confidential questions allegedly moved out of the examination system
The arrests have put the spotlight on the MPSC’s internal safeguards and the chain of custody of confidential examination material. Representational image
The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested six people, including three officials of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and the director of a private coaching institute, in connection with the alleged leak of questions from the Drug Inspector, Group-B recruitment examination conducted in March.
The case has raised serious questions about the security of the MPSC examination processparticularly how questions prepared for the recruitment test were allegedly accessed before the examination.
The Drug Inspector examination for the Food and Drug Administration department was conducted by the MPSC on March 22, 2026. According to the police, before the examination, questions prepared by experts for the test were allegedly obtained illegally. A separate question paper was then prepared using those questions and made available to other individuals through unauthorised means.
The alleged leak came to light during an inquiry into the examination process. Following the findings, a case was registered at the Colaba police station on August 25 on the complaint of Police Inspector Mangesh Ganpatrao Desai of the Property Cell.
The accused have been identified as Vishweshwar Dattatray Nakate, an assistant section officer with the MPSC; Abhijit Ganpatrao Lande, an under-secretary with the commission; Gopal Bhau Marathe, another assistant section officer with the MPSC; Pravin Dilip Patil, director of Kotilya Academy in Nandurbar; Amrut Namdev Patil; and Lokesh alias Gaurav Rajendra Patil.
The Crime Branch arrested all six on August 26 and produced them before a Mumbai court. The court has remanded them to police custody until September 2.
Investigators are now trying to establish the exact chain through which the confidential questions allegedly moved out of the examination system. Police are also probing the role of the coaching institute and whether the leaked material was distributed to candidates or other persons for financial or other benefits.
The case has been registered under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The investigation is being conducted by the Mumbai Crime Branch under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Sadanand Rane of the D Division. Police are expected to examine digital communications, documents, and other material to determine whether more people were involved.
The arrests have put the spotlight on the MPSC’s internal safeguards and the chain of custody of confidential examination material. A key question before investigators is whether the alleged leak was the result of a deliberate insider operation or a wider network involving officials and private coaching interests.
About the Author
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @…Read More
August 27, 2026, 06:28 IST
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