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MPSC denies paper leak allegation as Rohit Pawar demands CBI inquiry
The controversy erupted after allegations surfaced on social media that a document containing most of the examination questions was circulated on WhatsApp two days before the March 22 exam. Addressing a press conference, Pawar alleged that the question paper had been sold for ₹12 lakh.
Pune: The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) on Monday denied allegations of a paper leak in the Drug Inspector (Group B) recruitment examination, asserting that there was no evidence to support the claims. The clarification came even as Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged large-scale recruitment irregularities and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
The controversy erupted after allegations surfaced on social media that a document containing most of the examination questions had been circulated on WhatsApp two days before the March 22 examination. Addressing a press conference, Pawar alleged that the question paper had been sold for ₹12 lakh and sought a forensic investigation into the matter.
In an official statement, MPSC termed the allegations baseless and said the original complainant had retracted the paper-leak claim through an email, admitting that the circulated PDF was not the actual question paper.
The commission said the offline examination for 154 drug inspector posts was conducted on March 22 at centres across six divisional headquarters in Maharashtra. The screening test results were declared on June 12, interviews for 506 shortlisted candidates were held between July 1 and July 22, and the provisional merit list of 488 candidates was published on July 22.
According to MPSC, it received an email from Gaurav Patil on July 21 alleging that a candidate had received the question paper on WhatsApp on March 20 and that nearly 80 of the 100 questions matched those in the examination. The commission sought supporting evidence, following which WhatsApp chats and a PDF were submitted.
However, MPSC said that Patil, also known as Lokesh Patil, sent another email on July 27 clarifying that the WhatsApp document circulated on March 20 was “completely different” from the actual MPSC question paper and that there had been no paper leak. According to the commission, he further stated that the allegation had been made “in jest” and accused another complainant, Rishikesh Gangurde, of misrepresenting the issue on social media after failing the examination in an attempt to have the recruitment process cancelled and the test reconducted.
The commission said another candidate whose name figured in the complaint informed it that false information was being circulated in his name. Candidate Saurabh Kale said he did not know Gangurde and sought action against him. Later, a woman also complained that her name had been used without her consent and clarified that she had no objection to the recruitment process or the results.
MPSC said it has compiled all complaints, emails and supporting material and referred the matter for a police inquiry. It warned that legal action would be initiated against those found spreading false information.
Earlier in the day, Pawar alleged that a student associated with Kautilya Academy in Nandurbar had received nearly 90% of the examination questions on a messaging app on March 20, two days before the test. He claimed the questions were shared only after payment was made and were deleted within minutes using WhatsApp’s “Delete for Everyone” feature. Displaying screenshots of purported chats, he also alleged that candidates had been instructed to deliberately answer around 10 questions incorrectly to avoid suspicion.
Pawar further claimed there was a “Barshi connection” in the alleged irregularities and questioned how the son and daughter of a deputy tehsildar, who secured ranks 13 and 16 respectively, had both qualified, saying the coincidence warranted investigation.
He also accused MPSC of failing to respond promptly to candidates’ complaints, while praising the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for initiating a preliminary inquiry after receiving a complaint. He demanded retrieval of the WhatsApp chats, examination of the call detail records of the academy operators and suspected candidates, and a CBI investigation.
Separately, candidate Gangurde, who has refused to withdraw his complaint, reiterated his demand for a forensic examination of the mobile phones of the suspected individuals, saying it would establish the truth and remove doubts surrounding the recruitment process.
While the FDA has confirmed it has received a complaint and said it would verify the allegations before forwarding its findings to MPSC, the commission has maintained that there is no evidence of a paper leak. The police inquiry initiated by MPSC is now expected to examine the competing claims made by the complainants and the commission.
