Maharashtra TET Paper Leak 2026: Police Arrest Three In Bhiwandi For Selling Question Papers For Rs 1.5 Crore

Maharashtra TET Paper Leak 2026: Maharashtra Police have taken action against a gang allegedly involved in leaking question papers for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), which covered subjects including Hindi, Marathi, Social Science, and Mathematics. The accused were demanding Rs 1.5 crore for the papers, and a case has been filed against five individuals, two of whom remain at large, at the Kongaon Police Station in Bhiwandi.

The breakthrough came after officers received a tip that certain individuals possessed papers for the TET exam scheduled for June 28 and planned to meet contacts near the Pipeline area in Bhiwandi. Acting swiftly, a police team set up a trap, posing as buyers, and managed to catch the suspects in the act before any hard copies could be exchanged.

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How the Sting Operation Unfolded?

According to the Maharashtra police complaint filed by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Vibhav Ramdas Chumbhle, a team accompanied by two independent witnesses arrived at Dongarali on the Thane-Nashik Highway and made contact with the suspects under the guise of being interested buyers.

The accused reportedly first offered to display the paper through a video call, but once the undercover officer insisted on physical proof, they agreed to produce a hard copy in exchange for an upfront payment.

The Deal That Never Closed:

The FIR mentions that the gang quoted Rs 1.5 crore for papers across multiple subjects and asked for a partial advance payment once the hard copy was shown. However, the suspects were apprehended right as they were preparing to hand over an envelope containing the question paper, before the transaction could be finalised.

Accused Identified, Two Still at Large:

The three men taken into custody have been named as Rajiv (45) and Akash (30), both originally from Bihar, along with Dheeraj (28), who hails from Haryana. Two additional accomplices, identified as Kapil and Bijender, have evaded arrest so far and are being searched for by authorities.

Wider Pattern of Exam Fraud Suspected:

Investigators believe this group's activities were not limited to Maharashtra, with officials suggesting links to similar paper leak incidents across the country. The accused have been charged under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to cheating and conspiracy, along with the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, and the Maharashtra Competitive Examination Act.

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Notably, the TET examination itself had to be postponed after news of the leak surfaced just 24 hours before students were due to sit for the test.