Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch on Monday, October 12, arrested wanted accused Mayur Chandrakant Thakre in connection with the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination paper leak case, taking the total number of arrests to 12, police said.
According to Mumbai Police, the Property Cell of the Crime Branch apprehended Thakre on Monday. He was subsequently produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody until October 17. Further investigation into the case is underway.
MPSC Cancels Drug Inspector Recruitment
The arrest comes after the MPSC cancelled the recruitment process for Drug Inspector posts in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Department following allegations of examination irregularities.
The decision followed an investigation that reportedly found that a candidate had gained access to the question paper before the examination.
The screening test was conducted offline on March 22 at six divisional headquarters across Maharashtra. The Commission had advertised the vacancies on July 29, 2025, and declared the examination results on June 12.
Following the screening test, 506 candidates were initially found eligible for interviews. The Commission conducted interviews for 488 candidates between July 1 and July 22 and later published a provisional general merit list containing 488 names, including 485 eligible and three ineligible candidates.
Complaints Triggered Investigation
Between July 22 and July 26, the Commission received complaints from candidates and public representatives alleging malpractice in the March examination.
The complaints claimed that some candidates had obtained the question paper or its contents before the test, reportedly on March 20, and that the material was subsequently circulated through social media or other electronic channels.
The MPSC initiated a preliminary inquiry into the allegations before the investigation progressed to the Crime Branch.
Multiple Arrests in Paper Leak Case
On August 26, the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested six people in connection with the alleged breach of confidentiality involving the MPSC Drug Inspector Group-B examination.
According to police, the investigation indicated that the accused had illegally obtained questions from the examination set.
A case was registered under the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Malpractices) Act, 2024, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
With Thakre's arrest, the number of people apprehended in the case has reached 12. Police are continuing their investigation to establish the alleged roles of those involved and determine how the examination material was accessed and circulated.
