Mumbai: Candidate Caught Using Mobile Phone to Cheat in MIDC Exam, Device Hidden in Bathroom Bin

A shocking incident has come to light during the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) examination at the TCS iON Digital Zone (TIDZ) in Powai, where a candidate allegedly attempted to cheat by taking photos of the question paper using a mobile phone. The accused had hidden the device inside a bathroom dustbin to avoid detection. His frequent visits to the bathroom, however, aroused suspicion and eventually exposed the act.

Powai Police took 28-year-old Shubham Gajanan Patil into custody for questioning and later released him after serving a notice. The incident occurred on the morning of Saturday, 9 August, during the ongoing examination.

According to police, centre supervisor Sonal Suhas Masurkar noticed an object resembling a mobile phone with one of the candidates in Lab No. 30. The matter was immediately brought to the attention of Venue Commanding Officer Dheeraj Prajapati, Ashish Belbansi, Hub Operations Manager Shubham Sawant, and supervisor Uttam Nikalje, who questioned the candidate.

Initially, Patil denied possessing a mobile phone. However, a security guard’s search of the bathroom dustbin led to the recovery of a Google Pixel 6 device. Although the phone did not contain a SIM card, investigators found as many as 17 photographs of the question paper displayed on the computer screen.

Following this serious malpractice, Powai Police personnel, including Safou Deshmukh, seized the accused along with the recovered device for further legal action. The incident has raised a serious alarm for the examination administration about the misuse of technology for cheating.