MPSC paper leak row: Secretary Harpalkar blackened, three Sambhaji Brigade men held

Amid the row over alleged paper leaks in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations, the Sambhaji Brigade took an aggressive stand by taking to the streets over the issue. In Navi Mumbai, activists of the organisation smeared black paint on the face of MPSC secretary Mahendra Harpalkar, raising fresh questions over the commission's functioning. Navi Mumbai deputy commissioner of police Amit Kale said police had arrested three Sambhaji Brigade activists in the case.

After the action, Sambhaji Brigade's Maharashtra spokesperson Santosh Shinde strongly criticised the government. He said the action was carried out on behalf of the 2.5 million students preparing for MPSC exams and the state's 120 million people. Shinde also said the slap on Harpalkar's cheek was in effect a slap on the government's cheek delivered by the people.

This is not the first such protest by the Sambhaji Brigade. The organisation had earlier taken to the streets to confront the government over the alleged paper leak in the Food and Drug Inspector examination. On August 3, protests were held outside all district collector offices in the state, giving the government a clear warning. The organisation alleged the government had not taken the matter seriously.

Saying the government must be told in a language it understands, Santosh Shinde demanded the immediate resignation of the MPSC chairman and secretary. He warned that if they did not resign, the chairman would be next. He said today's action was only the beginning and that action against the chairman was still pending, and asked how many more years students would have to wait against paper leaks, cancelled exams and the resulting losses to students.

Member of Parliament Supriya Sule, however, took a different stance and expressed displeasure over the incident. She said protests and discussions must follow democratic means, and that smearing black paint or throwing ink was not right. Sule said her position remained that students must get justice.

Mahendra Harpalkar has been MPSC secretary since December 2025. He had earlier worked on the caste certificate verification committee in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Following the complaint over the alleged Food and Drug Inspector paper leak, it was Harpalkar himself who had said the complainant had withdrawn the complaint. He is said to have been in administrative service as an officer since 1995.