Maharashtra TET Paper Leak Case: A nearly 3,500-page chargesheet filed by the Thane police in a Bhiwandi court has revealed how Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) papers were smuggled out of a printing press in Agra.
Smuggled Out In Shoe Soles
According to the chargesheet, the paper leak was traced to Mahim Patron Pvt. Ltd., a printing press in Agra, tasked with printing confidential TET material. Between June 15 and 17, two employees and one former worker allegedly concealed folded question papers inside the soles of their shoes. Security guards frisked their clothing but did not check their footwear, allowing the suspects to walk out undetected.
To preserve the test's integrity, the state had prepared four separate sets for two TET papers, allowing candidates to choose from them on examination day. However, all four sets were taken out of the press.
In exchange for smuggling the papers out, the employees were allegedly paid Rs 8,000 and promised land plots in Agra.
Exposed A Day Before the Exam
The racket was exposed on June 27, just a day before the examination was scheduled to take place. Deputy Commissioner of Police Pawan Bansod received information that three individuals were attempting to sell exam papers to a resident of Bhiwandi.
Police laid a trap using decoy personnel in the Kongaon area, detained the suspects, and recovered four sets of question papers. Officials from the Maharashtra State Council of Examination subsequently cross-checked the seized materials and confirmed they matched the original TET papers.
Mastermind Identified; Investigation Ongoing
The chargesheet names 18 accused, 16 of whom have been arrested. Investigators identified Brijendra Gupta, a former coaching-class teacher previously linked to another paper leak case in Odisha, as the alleged mastermind.
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Key evidence listed in the chargesheet includes financial transactions, technical evidence, and an original question paper recovered from the residence of Gupta's relative in Bihar.
Two key suspects, Ashok Saw and Prakash Misal, are still at large. According to police officials, the investigation is ongoing, and a supplementary chargesheet will be submitted after further investigation.