In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested six individuals in connection with the paper leak scandal surrounding the recruitment examination for the position of Drug Inspector, conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). All six arrested accused were presented before a magistrate court, which remanded them to police custody until September 2. The exposure of this widespread conspiracy, which compromised the integrity of a key competitive recruitment drive, did not stem from an official internal audit or intelligence tip-off, but rather from a personal falling-out following a romantic breakup between two individuals involved in the chain of events.
Relationship Fallout Blows the Lid Off Conspiracy
According to the facts uncovered during the investigation, the genesis of the disclosure lies in a romantic relationship between candidate Rituja Patil and Gaurav Patil. Prior to the scheduled examination, Rituja had reportedly asked her father, Amrut Patil, to procure the question paper for the Drug Inspector exam. Her father subsequently initiated contacts to secure the paper through administrative links. However, during the intervening period, personal differences arose between Rituja and Gaurav, eventually leading to their breakup.
Motivated by the fallout from the broken relationship, Gaurav Patil alias Lokesh decided to expose the illicit acquisition of the examination paper. Gaurav contacted Rishikesh Gangurde, a social media content creator who produces informative material related to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Gaurav informed Gangurde that he possessed an exact leaked copy of the upcoming MPSC Drug Inspector examination paper. To ensure the matter reached the authorities, Gaurav shared the leaked material with Gangurde and decided to report the paper leak directly to the MPSC, thereby setting the criminal investigation into motion.
The Nandurbar Connection and the Rs 12 Lakh Deal
Financial inquiries conducted by the Mumbai Crime Branch revealed that the paper leak was executed as part of a negotiated monetary deal. Amrut Patil, the candidate's father, had established contact with Pravin Patil, a mediator who runs a private coaching center in Nandurbar. Pravin Patil functioned as the crucial bridge connecting the candidate's family with insiders inside the commission. Initial investigative findings indicate that a financial transaction of approximately Rs 5 lakh had already taken place between Pravin Patil and the implicated MPSC officials.
However, investigators suspect that the complete agreement was finalized for a total sum of around Rs 12 lakh. The Crime Branch is actively auditing bank accounts and tracing money trails, with officials noting that the total financial scope of the fraud could expand as further transactions are uncovered. A notable commonality identified by investigators is that the key intermediaries and suspects, including Pravin Patil, Amrut Patil, and the involved commission officials, share direct operational links to Nandurbar district.
MPSC Officials Under Scrutiny and Broader Scope
The investigation has directly implicated personnel within the administrative hierarchy of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission. Three officials associated with the MPSC have been identified in connection with the breach: Visheshwar Nakte, who serves as Assistant Section Officer, alongside Gopal Marathe and Abhijit Lendve, both holding the rank of Under Secretary. The precise extent of their involvement in exfiltrating the confidential examination paper from commission custody two days prior to the scheduled exam date is currently under rigorous investigation.
Police noted that Pravin Patil's coaching institute in Nandurbar had no direct curriculum alignment with preparation for FDA Inspector examinations. This discrepancy raised strong suspicions among Crime Branch officers regarding how an unrelated coaching operator gained access to high-level commission personnel. Consequently, investigators are probing whether this syndicate was exclusively involved in leaking the Drug Inspector examination paper or if previous competitive recruitment tests conducted by the commission were similarly compromised.
Legal Status of Accused and Ongoing Interrogations
As part of the formal law enforcement response, six individuals have been placed under arrest. Interestingly, Gaurav Patil, who originally brought the leak to light following his personal dispute, has also been named as an accused and arrested for his active involvement in handling the leaked material. Meanwhile, candidate Rituja Patil has not been arrested at this stage, though her role in the transaction remains under active scrutiny.
With the accused remanded to police custody until September 2, the Mumbai Crime Branch is conducting detailed custodial interrogations. Law enforcement priorities include tracing the precise chain of custody that allowed the paper to leave MPSC premises two days early, establishing the exact identities of all candidates who received the leaked material, verifying the distribution of the Rs 5 lakh initial payment, and determining whether additional accomplices operated within the network.
