A bitter breakup uncovered Maharashtra’s MPSC paper leak: How a rejected boyfriend turned from whistleblower to accused

Crime Department DCP Raj Tilak Roushan mentioned Lokesh alias Gaurav Patil, who initially approached the MPSC claiming to have details about the leak, was discovered through the investigation to have been concerned in the paper leak himself.

“In all, six individuals, together with three MPSC staff, have been positioned underneath arrest. A discover has been issued to Rutuja,” Roushan mentioned.

The investigation discovered that forward of the March 22 examination, Amrut Patil, 55, Rutuja’s father, allegedly contacted intermediary Pravin Patil, 40, who was additionally from Nandurbar.

Pravin allegedly knew three MPSC staff — Assistant Part Officers Vishveshwar Nakate, 35, and Gopal Marate, 37, and Undersecretary Abhijeet Lendave — who allegedly helped procure the query paper.

In line with police, Pravin paid Rs 5 lakh to the MPSC staff, with extra money promised later. Amrut then allegedly handed the paper to Rutuja a number of days earlier than the examination.

Rutuja then handed on the paper to Gaurav on WhatsApp two days previous to the examination as his brother too was meant to offer the paper.

Rutuja subsequently appeared for the examination and secured seventh rank, in accordance with the police.

However by the point the outcomes have been declared, Gaurav and Rutuja had damaged up.

Police allege that it was after the breakup that Gaurav turned whistleblower as he feared that when she grew to become an officer, she would neglect him.

He emailed the MPSC claiming to be a buddy of an applicant and alleged that the March 22 examination paper had been leaked.

He adopted up on the grievance, whereas NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar individually raised the problem in direction of the tip of July, alleging that candidates at a training institute in Nandurbar had acquired a lot of the questions two days earlier than the examination.

The MPSC then approached the Mumbai Police, and the Crime Department’s Property Cell took over the probe.

Investigators initially recorded Gaurav’s assertion. However because the probe progressed, police mentioned, he sensed that investigators have been closing in on him. He subsequently approached the MPSC once more and tried to backtrack on his grievance, claiming that he had been confused in regards to the examination course of.

The Crime Department, nonetheless, continued its investigation and located that the paper had certainly been leaked — and Gaurav to had acquired it earlier than the examination. “If he was certainly a whistleblower, he ought to’ve alerted MPSC earlier than the examination,” mentioned an officer.

The Drug Inspector recruitment examination was carried out on March 22 for 154 Group B gazetted posts within the Meals and Drug Administration. Round 44,500 candidates appeared at centres throughout the state’s six income divisions.

The outcomes have been declared on June 12, with 506 candidates qualifying for interviews. A provisional benefit checklist of 488 candidates was printed on July 22.

The Crime Department conveyed its findings to the MPSC on Tuesday and registered an FIR. The six accused have been arrested on Wednesday and produced earlier than a court docket, which remanded them in police custody.

Following the Crime Department report, the MPSC cancelled the examination and mentioned a contemporary examination can be carried out. Candidates who have been a part of the cancelled recruitment course of won’t have to use once more.