Maharashtra HSC Paper Leak: Four More Arrested Including College Principal
In a significant development in the ongoing Maharashtra Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination paper leak case, Nagpur police have made four additional arrests on Friday, bringing the total number of individuals apprehended to eight. The latest detainees include a junior college principal, highlighting the deepening scope of the investigation into this academic scandal.
Latest Arrests and Police Custody
The Sadar police in Nagpur have taken into custody Dinesh Kotangale (37), Manish Shambharkar (46) who serves as the director of a private tuition class, Pradeep Jangde (43) who is the principal of a junior college, and Sandeep Sartkar (46). All four individuals have been remanded to four days of police custody as authorities continue to unravel the network behind the paper leak. Police are actively searching for another key suspect, Altaf Godil, who is believed to have played a crucial role in procuring and forwarding the leaked examination papers.
Expanded Scope of the Leak
Police investigations have now confirmed that apart from the previously reported physics and chemistry question papers, the mathematics paper was also compromised and circulated on WhatsApp ahead of the scheduled examinations. This revelation expands the breadth of the leak, raising serious concerns about the integrity of multiple subjects in the HSC exams. A minor has also been rounded up in connection with the case, and the investigation has surfaced names of additional tuition classes and another junior college, indicating a potentially wider conspiracy.
Legal Framework and Complaint Details
The offence has been formally registered under sections 316(5) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside provisions of the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, 1982. The initial complaint was lodged by Anil Dahifale, the education officer (secondary) of the zilla parishad in Nagpur. The case first came to light between 10:37 AM and 12:00 PM on February 18 during the chemistry examination at a school located in the Sadar area of Nagpur.
Investigation Timeline and Key Findings
Initial investigations revealed that accused Nishikant Moon from Mankapur allegedly circulated the physics and chemistry question papers through a WhatsApp group titled "tech 1" before the exams commenced. Meanwhile, accused Farhan Akhtar of Automotive Square was involved in preparing and sharing answers within the same group. Further probing traced the origin of the leak to a 17-year-old student from a tuition class based in Mominpura, who allegedly forwarded the paper to the WhatsApp group.
Subsequent interrogation led police to Junaid Mohammad Abdul Javed (24), who is also associated with a Mominpura-based tuition class and allegedly circulated the paper further. Mustafa Khan (42), the director of another tuition class in Mominpura, was arrested earlier after investigators discovered the leaked paper on his WhatsApp account and established his prior knowledge of the circulation.
Network of Circulation and Key Interactions
According to police statements, Dinesh Kotangale supplied the chemistry and mathematics papers to Junaid and others via WhatsApp. During interrogation, Kotangale disclosed that Altaf Godil had approached him seeking access to the papers. Following this, Kotangale contacted Suresh Sahare, who then directed them to Manish Shambharkar.
Kotangale and Godil allegedly met with principal Pradeep Jangde, who provided the chemistry paper along with multiple-choice questions (MCQs). These materials were subsequently forwarded through WhatsApp. The mathematics paper, accompanied by answers, was later circulated on February 21. Further questioning of Jangde pointed investigators toward Sandeep Sartkar as the alleged source of the leaked papers, leading to the latest series of arrests.
Ongoing Probe and Broader Implications
The investigation, being conducted under the supervision of the Senior Police Inspector of Sadar Police Station in Nagpur City, is now intensely focused on unearthing the entire network involved in this malpractice. Authorities are examining possible involvement of coaching institutes and examination staff, amid growing suspicions of an organised racket operating behind the scenes. Police are meticulously analysing digital evidence retrieved from mobile phones and WhatsApp groups that were seized during the investigation.
The Maharashtra State Board had previously maintained in related incidents that certain circulations did not constitute a systemic leak warranting re-examinations. However, the confirmation that multiple subjects were leaked has ignited fresh concerns over the integrity and security of the 2026 HSC examinations. This case underscores the vulnerabilities in examination systems and the urgent need for enhanced safeguards to prevent such breaches in the future.
