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 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 claim, if corroborated, could widen the investigation beyond the six people arrested so far and raise questions over who allegedly received the money.According to the transcript examined by investigators, Rutuja’s friend asked her how she had managed to prepare for the difficult examination. Rutuja allegedly replied, “I didn’t study,” followed by a smiley.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.The conversation ends with the alleged statement: “I paid Rs 50 lakh for the Drug Inspector exam.”Police are now examining whether the amount was actually paid, who allegedly arranged it and who may have benefited from the payment.
‘Get 10 questions wrong’
Investigators have also found what they believe was an attempt to ensure that Rutuja’s unusually strong performance did not raise suspicion.According to the Crime Branch, the leaked material contained 294 questions, of which 77 matched questions in the actual MPSC Drug Inspector examination paper.Police have also recovered chats in which Rutuja was allegedly instructed to deliberately answer 10 questions incorrectly. 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.
Boyfriend allegedly asked to arrange Rs 5 lakh
The investigation has also brought Rutuja’s relationship with Lokesh alias Gaurav Rajendra Patil into focus.According to police, Gaurav was in a relationship with Rutuja, who was preparing for the Drug Inspector examination. 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.Rutuja subsequently cleared the exam, police said.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. Gaurav allegedly refused, citing financial constraints.Police said Rutuja’s father, Amrit Patil, subsequently arranged the money.The relationship between Gaurav and Rutuja later turned sour. After their breakup, Gaurav allegedly approached the MPSC and informed the commission about the suspected paper leak, according to investigators.This disclosure eventually set the probe in motion.
Probe points to one candidate
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.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.Despite this, the MPSC scrapped the entire recruitment process as a precautionary measure.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.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.
Six arrested, Rutuja on the run
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.
Fadnavis warns no one will be spared
Fadnavis on Thursday said no one would be spared in the case, irrespective of their identity or political affiliation.“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.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.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.
