The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested four more people, including two candidates, in connection with the alleged question paper leak in the MPSC Drug Inspector (Group-B) screening examination held earlier this year, officials said.
The latest arrests take the total number of people in custody in the case to 11.
According to a Crime Branch official, candidates Sajid Sande and Vijay Kingar, along with middlemen Sandip Khalate and Bhairavnath Kadam, were arrested on Thursday. Khalate and Kadam are residents of Navi Mumbai.
Candidates allegedly obtained leaked paper
Sande, a resident of Sangli, and Kingar, from Buldhana, are accused of obtaining the examination paper illegally, officials said.
Earlier, the Crime Branch had arrested Rutuja Patil, who appeared for the Drug Inspector screening examination on March 22 and secured seventh rank in the provisional merit list.
Police allege that Patil had received the leaked question paper and was told to intentionally answer 10 questions incorrectly so that her performance would not raise suspicion.
Three MPSC officials among earlier arrests
Following Patil's arrest, the Crime Branch arrested six more people, including three officials of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly gained access to the examination questions before the test, prepared them as a separate set and circulated them among unauthorised people.
With Thursday's arrests, 11 people have now been taken into custody in the case. Further investigation is underway.
MPSC cancels recruitment process
The examination was held to recruit Drug Inspectors under the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
After a preliminary inquiry into suspected malpractice, the MPSC cancelled the recruitment process and said a fresh examination would be conducted.
The commission said the move was aimed at ensuring a fair and equal opportunity for candidates while maintaining confidence in the recruitment process and protecting the integrity, transparency and impartiality of its examinations.
Police said the question papers had been prepared by experts under strict confidentiality protocols.
A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at Competitive Examinations Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The offences include cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy and corruption by public servants.