WhatsApp conversations and a bitter breakup have emerged as key leads in the MPSC exam paper leak
MUMBAI: A WhatsApp conversation and a bitter breakup between a couple have emerged as key leads in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) Drug Inspector exam paper-leak probe, with investigators examining an alleged Rs 50 lakh payment for advance access to the question paper. The crime branch has further alleged that Rutuja asked Gaurav to arrange Rs 5 lakh for payment to officials in connection with obtaining the question paper.
Rutuja subsequently cleared the exam, police said. Police said Rutuja’s father, Amrit Patil, subsequently arranged the money. After their breakup, Gaurav allegedly approached the MPSC and informed the commission about the suspected paper leak, according to investigators. Crime Branch officials said the inquiry so far has not indicated a mass leak of the examination paper. “The inquiry commission found only one candidate had received the question set and benefited from it,” DCP (Crime) Raj Tilak Roshan said. Roshan said questions were illegally obtained from a question set prepared by experts. A separate question paper was allegedly prepared using the leaked questions and circulated among other people, he said.
Gaurav allegedly refused, citing financial constraints. The relationship between Gaurav and Rutuja later turned sour. This disclosure eventually set the probe in motion. Despite this, the MPSC scrapped the entire recruitment process as a precautionary measure. The probe is now focusing on how the original question set was accessed, how the leaked questions were circulated and whether candidates were asked to pay for the material. The Crime Branch has arrested six people in connection with the case. They are Gaurav Patil; MPSC assistant cell officer Vishweshwar Nakate; MPSC under secretary Abhijit Lendve; MPSC assistant cell officer Gopal Marathe; Kautilya Academy director Pravin Patil; and Amrit Patil, Rutuja’s father. Rutuja remains absconding. The complaint registered by Crime Branch inspector Mangesh Desai states that academy director Pravin Patil allegedly obtained the paper through Mayur Thackeray, who is also under the scanner, and handed a photocopy of it to Rutuja’s father at Pathardi Phata in Nashik. The complaint further alleges that three MPSC officials received financial benefits. Crime Branch teams have searched the residences of the accused in Nandurbar and are scrutinising their bank transactions and digital communications.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also said on Thursday that, according to the police investigation, the paper had not been leaked to a large number of candidates but had reached one individual.
Investigators suspect that Gaurav obtained questions from the examination paper before the March 22 test and shared them with Rutuja to help her clear the examination.
Gaurav was in a relationship with Rutuja, who was preparing for the Drug Inspector examination, according to police.
Fadnavis warns no one will be spared
The Mumbai Crime Branch has recovered chats in which prime accused Rutuja Patil allegedly told a female friend that she had received the Drug Inspector exam paper in advance and had paid Rs 50 lakh for it. The conversation ends with the alleged statement: “I paid Rs 50 lakh for the Drug Inspector exam. The leaked material contained 294 questions, of which 77 matched questions in the actual MPSC Drug Inspector examination paper, according to the Crime Branch. Police have also recovered chats in which Rutuja was allegedly instructed to deliberately answer 10 questions incorrectly.
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Rutuja’s friend asked her how she had managed to prepare for the difficult examination, according to the transcript examined by investigators. Rutuja allegedly replied, “I didn’t study,” followed by a smiley. “Stern action is happening and it will happen,” he said. He said the state government had constituted a committee to recommend reforms in the conduct of examinations and that the MPSC had also been asked to undertake internal reforms. Pawar also alleged that if the government wanted to show photographs linking Gadhave to political leaders, he could produce “thousands” of photographs of Gadhave with BJP leaders.
The claim, if corroborated, could widen the investigation beyond the six people arrested so far and raise questions over who allegedly received the money. When asked how she had managed the examination, she allegedly wrote: “Don’t tell anyone. I had received the question paper in advance. She was then asked how she had obtained the paper. Rutuja allegedly refused to reveal the source and repeatedly warned her friend not to disclose the information, including to colleagues at her workplace. Police are now examining whether the amount was actually paid, who allegedly arranged it and who may have benefited from the payment. Investigators have also found what they believe was an attempt to ensure that Rutuja’s unusually strong performance did not raise suspicion. The suspected reasoning was that getting every question right after allegedly receiving the paper in advance could attract attention. The chats and the matching questions are now being examined as part of the evidence against those accused in the case. The investigation has also brought Rutuja’s relationship with Lokesh alias Gaurav Rajendra Patil into focus. The chief minister also accused opposition leaders of trying to politicise the issue, referring to NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar. Fadnavis cited BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban’s allegation that accused Sunil Gadhave was associated with Pawar. Ban had alleged that Gadhave was a close associate of Pawar. Pawar hit back at Fadnavis on X, saying it was inappropriate for the chief minister to bring politics into a serious examination-leak case. Here are more Raksha Bandhan wishes , Bhadra kaal and Shubh Muhurat from The Times of India. Download the TOI App.
Fadnavis on Thursday said no one would be spared in the case, irrespective of their identity or political affiliation.
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