Bhiwandi/Thane, Maharashtra: Two absconding suspects in the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper leak case were arrested from Beed and Bihar on Sunday, police said, bringing to 18 the number of accused named in the chargesheet who are now in custody.
Multi‑state racket uncovered, police say
Thane City Police and the Bhiwandi Division (Zone II) led the investigation that, according to officials, exposed an extensive examination fraud network spanning Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The two apprehended men have been identified as Prakash Misal and Ashok Sav, an officer said.
"The two suspects — Sav and Misal — were tracked down through technical intelligence, financial transaction trails, and location logs monitored by the police SIT," the officer said.
Investigating officers said the racket came to light a day before the scheduled TET on June 28 after Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Pavan Bansod received a tip‑off about three men attempting to sell the question paper to a Bhiwandi resident. Police laid a trap in the Kongaon area using decoy personnel, detained suspects and seized four sets of question papers, the officer added.
How papers were allegedly smuggled
The chargesheet filed by Thane Police, submitted before a local court in Bhiwandi, alleges the question papers were smuggled out of a printing press in Agra by two employees who concealed the material inside shoe insoles. The complaint states the employees were paid just Rs 8,000 for the job.
Following seizure, the seized material was checked with Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) officials, who confirmed the papers matched the actual question paper scheduled for the TET.
Charges and accused
The chargesheet names 18 accused, including an alleged mastermind, Bijendra Gupta, who was earlier implicated in an Odisha paper leak, the police said. The accused have been charged under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy, along with Maharashtra state laws on examination malpractices and unfair means.
- Number of accused named in chargesheet: 18
- Locations linked to the racket: Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi
- Alleged method of smuggling: Question papers hidden inside shoe insoles at an Agra printing press
- Seizure: Four sets of question papers recovered in Kongaon during a police trap
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Final two arrested | Prakash Misal (from Beed), Ashok Sav (from Bihar) |
| Chargesheet filed by | Thane Police (submitted in Bhiwandi court) |
| Principal accused named | Bijendra Gupta (previously linked to Odisha leak) |
Investigation methods and inter‑state reach
Police said the investigations combined traditional fieldwork with technical intelligence. Officers tracked suspects through mobile location logs, monitored financial transactions and coordinated across state police units. The inquiry was handled by a special investigation team (SIT) formed by Thane City Police and the Bhiwandi Division.
Officials indicated the case underscores vulnerabilities in the printing, handling and distribution chain for high‑stakes examinations. The MSCE was reported to have assisted verification of the seized papers, a step that helped establish the link between the recovered sets and the actual TET question paper.
Wider implications for exams and recruitment
The TET is a crucial eligibility test for aspiring teachers; any breach undermines recruitment processes and public confidence in educational selection systems. The police action and subsequent legal proceedings will be closely watched by students, teacher candidates and education administrators in Maharashtra.
The chargesheet lists offences under the BNS as well as Maharashtra statutes on examination malpractice and unfair means. The case will proceed through the criminal justice system from the local court in Bhiwandi where the chargesheet was filed.
Police did not disclose further operational details about the arrests, ongoing leads or whether additional arrests were anticipated. Documents filed in court will determine the next legal steps in the prosecution of the accused.
This report is based on information provided by Thane City Police and the Bhiwandi Division and on the chargesheet submitted to the court.
