MPSC paper leak: Another officer held, arrests rise to 13

Investigators said Lendave had allegedly received the question paper from Vishweshwar Nakate, another MPSC assistant section officer who worked in the commission’s confidential section

Mumbai: A second link in the alleged sale of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s drug inspector examination paper has led to another arrest, with the Mumbai Crime Branch arresting assistant section officer Rohit Koltakke, 33, on Friday. Police said Koltakke allegedly bought the paper from MPSC under-secretary Abhijit Lendave for ₹2.5 lakh and passed it on for money.

MPSC paper leak: Another officer held, arrests rise to 13

Koltakke, who is from Amravati, was arrested by the Anti-Extortion Cell. His arrest takes the number of accused held in the case to 13.

Investigators said Lendave had allegedly received the question paper from Vishweshwar Nakate, another MPSC assistant section officer who worked in the commission’s confidential section. Nakate allegedly typed the question papers on his laptop and supplied the complete set to Lendave, who then passed it on to Koltakke, police said.

“We are trying to find out whom Koltakke supplied the leaked paper to and how much money he received,” a police officer said.

Four MPSC officials have been arrested so far: Lendave, Nakate, Koltakke and assistant section officer Gopale Marathe.

The other accused include Kautilya Academy director Pravin Patil, candidate Rutuja Patil, her father Amrut, her former boyfriend Gaurav Patil, and alleged middlemen Sandeep Kalate, Bhairavnath Kadam, Sanjid Sande and Vijay Kinger. Mayur Thakare, a teacher from Nandurbar suspected of acting as a middleman, was arrested on October 12.

The paper was allegedly leaked ahead of the March 22 drug inspector examination. The racket surfaced on July 22, when Gaurav Patil informed the MPSC about the leak, coinciding with the announcement of the results. Gaurav was not an exam candidate but had allegedly received the paper from Rutuja. Police suspect he reported the leak after their relationship ended.

According to police, 77 of the 297 questions in the examination appeared in the leaked question set. Investigators have identified three beneficiaries, but Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Rohit Pawar has alleged that the paper was sold for about ₹12 lakh to several Kautilya Academy candidates two days before the examination.

The arrests come amid mounting scrutiny of alleged irregularities in MPSC examinations. Students and job aspirants had staged a 10-day protest in Pune, demanding reforms in examinations and recruitment. They called off the agitation after the state government agreed to an inquiry and asked the MPSC chairperson to proceed on leave.