In Maharashtra, a romantic fallout led to the unravelling of a Rs 50 lakh MPSC Drug Inspector exam scam. Both partners used a leaked paper, but only the woman cleared the March 22, 2026 test, sparking a breakup. The man then complained to MPSC, prompting a Crime Branch investigation, WhatsApp-based evidence, arrests of six accused and cancellation of the recruitment exam.
BREAKUPS MAKE PEOPLE DO STRANGE THINGS — delete photos, block numbers, cry to sad songs in the middle of the night. However, this breakup did something bigger. When a couple in Maharashtra broke up after a leaked government exam, it led to the exposure of a massive paper leak scam. In an interesting case emerging from Maharashtra, a man exposed the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) Drug Inspector paper leak scam before being arrested, after breaking up with his girlfriend over the exam leak.
Turns out, both the man, Gaurav Patil (24) and his former girlfriend, Rutuja Patil, had obtained the leaked question paper for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) Drug Inspector exam. However, the woman cleared the exam that was held on March 22, 2026, whereas the man did not. This prompted a fight between the couple and led to their eventual breakup. Fearing that his former girlfriend would secure a government job and move on, Gaurav informed the MPSC about the paper leak. A police investigation was launched afterwards, leading to the arrest of six accused who were involved in the leak, including Gaurav himself.
Candidate Rutuja Patil’s father, Amrit Patil, had purchased the question paper for Rs 50 lakh from Praveen Patil (40) — who runs a coaching institute inNandurbar, Maharashtra. Pravin allegedly knew three MPSC employees — Assistant Section Officers Vishveshwar Nakate (35) and Gopal Marate (37), and Undersecretary Abhijeet Lendave — who helped in procuring the question paper. Rutuja also shared the exam paper with her then-boyfriend Gaurav. After the results were declared on July 12, 2026, Rutuja cleared the exam, securing overall seventh rank, while Gaurav didn't. This caused a fight between the couple, and led to their eventual breakup.
Gaurav was worried that Rutuja, having cleared the exam, will secure a government position and move on. He approached the MPSC over the exam paper leak, posing as the friend of a candidate and filed a complaint via email alleging that the Drug Inspector exam held on March 22, 2026, was leaked. Later, Gaurav attempted to withdraw his complaint, but by then the MPSC had already taken cognizance of it, with Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch’s Property Cell taking over the investigation.
Investigating officials found that a fresh question paper had been prepared before the examination by illegally extracting questions from the question bank compiled by experts, and secretly selling them to candidates. Whatsapp chats have also emerged as key evidence in the exam paper leak case. In a text Rutuja sent to a female friend, she confessed of having paid Rs 50 lakhs in exchange for procuring the leaked exam paper. She also texted her friend that she “didn’t study for the exam,” and asked the friend not to tell anyone that she purchased the question paper.
On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, a case was filed against the accused under the Indian Penal Code, the Maharashtra Competitive Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. A day after, on August 26, 2026 six were arrested over MPSC Drug Inspector exam leak — Vishweshwar Dattatray Nakate, Assistant Room Officer (ASO), MPSC, Abhijeet Ganpatrao Lendve, Under Secretary, MPSC, Gopal Bhattu Marathe, Assistant Room Officer (ASO), MPSC, Praveen Dilip Patil, Director, Kautilya Academy, Nandurbar (Chief Arbitrator), Amrit Namdev Patil, Father of candidate Rituja Patil, and Gaurav Patil.
The Drug Inspector recruitment examination was held on March 22, 2026, to fill 154 Group B gazetted posts in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Around 44,500 candidates appeared for the exam across centres in the state’s six revenue divisions. The results were announced on June 12, 2026, with 506 candidates qualifying for interviews, while a provisional merit list featuring 488 candidates was released on July 22.
The Crime Branch submitted its findings to the MPSC on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 and registered an FIR. The six accused were arrested the following day and produced before a court, which remanded them to police custody.
Following the Crime Branch’s findings, the MPSC cancelled the examination and announced that a fresh exam would be conducted. Candidates who appeared in the cancelled recruitment process will not be required to apply again.
(Edited by Agniva Ray)
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