Maharashtra TET paper leak: All 18 accused arrested. How alleged Agra-to-Maharashtra racket unfolded

The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak investigation has reached a fresh stage with police arresting the last two accused named in the chargesheet. With the latest arrests, all 18 people named in the case are now in custody, according to the police. The investigation has uncovered an alleged multi-state network spanning Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, with investigators tracing the examination material back to a printing facility in Agra. The Maharashtra TET was scheduled to take place on June 28, 2026. The alleged leak came to light shortly before the examination after police received information about attempts to sell the question papers in Bhiwandi.

How did the investigation begin?

Police were alerted to an alleged attempt to sell examination papers to a Bhiwandi resident. Investigators subsequently conducted an operation in the Kongaon area and detained suspects. Four sets of question papers were recovered during the operation. The Maharashtra State Council of Examination later examined the seized material and confirmed that it corresponded with the actual examination paper. The examination was subsequently postponed. The breakthrough prompted investigators to look beyond the people allegedly attempting to sell the papers in Maharashtra and trace the material back to its source.

The Agra link

According to the chargesheet filed by Thane Police, investigators traced the source of the leak to Mahim Patran Pvt Ltd, an Agra-based printing press that had been entrusted with printing confidential TET examination material. The chargesheet alleges that two employees and a former staff member were involved in removing the papers from the facility.

Investigators allege that the folded papers were concealed inside the employees' shoe insoles as they left the premises. The employees were allegedly paid Rs 8,000 each for their role in obtaining the confidential material. The investigation has also examined alleged gaps in security at the printing facility, including how confidential and rejected examination material was handled. The alleged breach at the printing stage became the starting point of a chain that eventually brought the examination papers into Maharashtra.

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From confidential papers to alleged buyers

Investigators believe the papers were subsequently circulated among members of a wider network. According to details emerging from the investigation, prospective candidates were allegedly offered access to the leaked examination material for significantly larger sums. Some candidates were reportedly asked to provide original educational documents as security. Police are examining the financial transactions associated with these alleged deals as they try to establish how far the network extended. The investigation is also looking into the identities of people who may have been approached to purchase the papers and whether the alleged network had links to similar examination-related offences.

Who is Bijendra Gupta?

Police have identified Bijendra Gupta as the alleged mastermind in the case. According to the investigation, Gupta had previously been associated with coaching classes and had also figured in an earlier examination paper leak case in Odisha. Police have cited several forms of evidence in the chargesheet, including financial transactions and technical data. An original question paper was also reportedly recovered from the Bihar residence of a relative of Gupta. Investigators believe this evidence helped establish the alleged movement of the examination material between different members of the network. The allegations against Gupta and the other accused will be tested through the judicial process.

All 18 accused now in custody

The latest arrests involved Prakash Misal and Ashok Sav, who had remained at large after the chargesheet was filed. Police said the two were traced with the help of technical intelligence, financial transaction records and location information monitored by the Special Investigation Team.

Their arrests mean that all 18 accused named in the chargesheet are now in custody. The accused have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to offences including cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy. They also face provisions under Maharashtra laws dealing with examination malpractice and unfair means.

What happens next?

The latest arrests do not necessarily mark the end of the investigation. Police are continuing to examine the alleged financial trail, communication records and the role of other people who may have been connected to the network. A supplementary chargesheet could also follow if investigators uncover additional evidence. The case has meanwhile raised questions about the safeguards used to protect examination material before it reaches test centres.

For authorities, the investigation now involves more than identifying those accused of obtaining or circulating the papers. It also puts the spotlight on the security chain at printing facilities, the monitoring of personnel handling confidential material and the mechanisms used to prevent leaked examination papers from reaching prospective candidates.