Pune: Case against exam candidate for sending NCRA recruitment paper photos on WhatsApp

A case has been registered at Chaturshringi police station in Pune against a candidate who allegedly photographed the question paper during a recruitment examination at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in Pune and sent the pictures on WhatsApp to people outside the centre.

The examination was held on May 23, 2025, for the post of Work Assistant. The FIR was registered on the evening of October 26, 2026, so the date of the examination and the date of the case are different.

Police have identified the accused as Vivek Baban Hadvale, 40, a resident of Pune. The complaint was filed by Vaibhav Pandurang Sherkar, 35, who lives in Badlapur, Kalyan.

According to police, Hadvale himself sat the examination and carried his mobile phone into the exam hall. He allegedly photographed the actual question paper set during the test and sent the photos on WhatsApp to people who were waiting outside.

Police said the act amounts to cheating the administration. They said it also amounts to leaking sensitive and confidential information about an examination of a research institute that functions under the Central government. Police said this came to light later, and the case was registered only after inquiries at a senior level.

Hadvale has been booked under Sections 316(2) and 316(5) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Sections of two different laws have thus been invoked against him.

After realising the seriousness of the matter, Senior Police Inspector Uttam Bhajanwale personally visited the examination centre and inspected it. Chaturshringi police are now investigating the case further.