Maharashtra exam chief Tukaram Supe arrested for alleged 'malpractices'

In a development that questions the sanctity of several examinations in the past, the Pune Police has arrested Tukaram Supe, the Commissioner of Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) while carrying out investigations vis-a-vis paper leak.

Supe, who worked with the Pune-based MSCE, was questioned in connection with the alleged malpractices in the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) - and was placed under arrest on Friday.

“We have arrested MSCE Commissioner Tukaram Supe,” Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta told reporters.

The alleged malpractice in the TET came to the light during the investigation of a paper leak in the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) examination, in which six people have already been arrested so far.

Among those arrested include Dr Pritish Deshmukh, a Director of GA Software Technologies Pvt Ltd, which was responsible for conducting the exam.

"With the arrest of MSCE, the sanctity of examinations in the past is being questioned. “We are making detailed investigations,” said Gupta.

The MHADA exams were scheduled to last Sunday, however, state Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad - hours before the examination - cancelled the examination following information of a possible paper leak. The examinations would not be held in January. The MHADA recruitment examination was to be held at various centres across the state with more than 275,000 candidates to appear for jobs underclasses ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’.

The issue has come as a major embarrassment to the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the opposition BJP targeting it. “‘This is the culmination of corruption, apathy and shamelessness,’’ Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had said and demanded a CBI probe.

Multiple police teams are conducting investigations in Mumbai, Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Pune and Thane.

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