Mumbai - The Special Investigation Team of the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested four more people in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission Drug Inspector exam question-paper leak case, taking the total number of arrests to 11.
The latest detainees are two candidates, Sajid Sande and Vijay Kinger, and two alleged middlemen, Sandeep Khalate and Bhairavnath Kadam. Sande was arrested in Sangli and Kinger in Buldhana. Khalate and Kadam were picked up in Navi Mumbai, investigators said.
Police say the inquiry has found breaches of the confidentiality and fairness of the MPSC examination. Officers are also examining allegations that official duties were misused to unlawfully obtain, withdraw and exchange question papers for money.
Those arrested earlier include former Under Secretary Abhijit Lendve; Assistant Chamber Officers Visheshwar Nakate and Gopal Marathe; Kautilya Academy director Praveen Patil; alleged middlemen Amrit Patil and Lokesh alias Gaurav Patil; and candidate Rituja Patil.
The SIT is continuing to look at whether others were involved in the alleged leak.
The case had already drawn protests from MPSC aspirants. On September 7, thousands of candidates marched in Pune demanding greater transparency in the commission’s working and the removal of its chairman, Vivek Bhimanwar.
Investigators say the leak came to light after a personal dispute. According to the Crime Branch, Lokesh alias Gaurav Patil, 24, received the leaked paper from his then girlfriend, Rituja Patil, before the March 22 examination. After the two separated, police allege, he approached the MPSC and reported the leak, fearing she would move on after securing a government job.
The Crime Branch is still working to map the full chain through which the paper was accessed and circulated, and the roles of candidates, alleged middlemen and others named in the case.