In a major breakthrough in the alleged Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak case, Bhiwandi Police have arrested three persons suspected of being part of a network that allegedly leaked the examination paper before the state-wide test. The arrests came just hours before the examination was scheduled to be held, forcing the Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) to postpone the recruitment test conducted for aspiring teachers.
The accused have been identified as Rajiv Shah and Akash Kumar, both residents of Bihar, and Dheeraj Kumar from Haryana. Police believe the trio may be linked to a larger inter-state network involved in leaking confidential examination papers, and investigations are now underway to identify other members of the alleged syndicate.
According to officials, the Maharashtra TET 2026 examination was scheduled for June 28 at 1,028 examination centres across the state. However, before the examination could begin, intelligence inputs alerted Bhiwandi Police about a possible leak of the question paper.
Acting swiftly on the information, a police team conducted a raid at a location in Bhiwandi where several individuals were allegedly found in possession of suspected examination material. During the verification process, investigators compared the recovered documents with the original TET question paper and found that multiple questions matched the official examination, indicating a suspected paper leak.
Following the preliminary findings, Bhiwandi Police registered a criminal case and arrested the three accused. The investigation is being supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Pawan Bansode, while officers continue to examine digital devices, financial transactions and communication records to determine how the confidential examination paper was accessed and circulated.
Police are also investigating whether the alleged network extends beyond Maharashtra, as two of the arrested accused are from Bihar while another is from Haryana. Investigators suspect that more individuals may have been involved in distributing the leaked paper and have not ruled out further arrests in the coming days.
Taking serious note of the incident, the Maharashtra State Council of Examination announced the postponement of the Teacher Eligibility Test, stating that conducting the examination under such circumstances would compromise its fairness and credibility. The council said the decision was taken to protect the interests of genuine candidates and ensure complete transparency in the recruitment process.
MSCE has assured candidates that a revised examination schedule will be announced only after the investigation progresses and authorities are satisfied that adequate safeguards have been put in place to prevent any recurrence of such incidents.
The alleged paper leak has once again raised serious questions about the security of competitive examinations in Maharashtra. Coming amid growing concerns over examination malpractice across the country, the latest case has intensified demands for stricter security measures and stronger action against organised paper leak rackets operating across states.
Meanwhile, Bhiwandi Police have urged candidates and members of the public not to circulate unverified examination material on social media or messaging platforms, warning that anyone found sharing confidential examination documents or assisting the racket will face strict legal action. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials indicating that more arrests are likely as additional evidence emerges.
