Three accused have been arrested after Bhiwandi Police busted an alleged question paper leak for the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 — scheduled for 28 June 2026 — with investigators revealing the culprits had planned to sell the exam paper for approximately ₹1.5 crore. The Maharashtra State Council of Examinations (MSCE) abruptly cancelled the examination on Saturday following the expose, and senior police officials have confirmed that more arrests are imminent.

How the Trap Was Laid

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bhiwandi Zone 2) Pawan Bansod said police received a tip-off that a group of 'outsiders' were travelling to Bhiwandi carrying the leaked question paper. Acting on the intelligence, officers set a trap and apprehended three accused, recovering four different exam papers from their possession.

'We laid a trap... after this, we apprehended three accused and upon checking them we found four different exam papers. Immediately, we called the senior officers of the Education department. After verifying the exam papers, we came to know that this exam was going to be conducted tomorrow,' DCP Bansod said.

An FIR has since been registered, with officials stating that further details will emerge as the investigation progresses.

Scale of the Racket

According to DCP Bansod, the accused had allegedly priced the leaked question paper at around ₹1.5 crore — indicating a well-organised criminal network rather than an opportunistic breach. The recovery of four different papers suggests the leak may have extended beyond a single set, raising serious questions about the depth of the security failure.

This comes amid a broader crackdown on exam paper leaks across Maharashtra. State Director General of Police Sadanand Vasant Date and other senior officials have repeatedly instructed police personnel to 'dig deeper' into such cases and 'dismantle the entire network,' according to DCP Bansod.

Joint Investigation Launched

The Education Department and Thane Police have launched a high-level joint investigation to identify the mastermind behind the leak, reconstruct how security protocols were breached, and determine whether any internal MSCE officials were complicit. The involvement of insiders has not been ruled out.

Notably, the leak was exposed just one day before the examination was due to be held — a narrow window that raises concerns about whether earlier intelligence was missed or acted upon too late.

What Candidates Should Know

The MSCE has assured candidates that a fresh examination date for Maharashtra TET 2026 will be announced shortly. All updates on the rescheduled date and revised guidelines will be posted on the official MSCE website. Candidates are advised to monitor official channels and avoid unverified information circulating on social media.

With more arrests expected and the joint probe still in early stages, the full extent of the network behind the Maharashtra TET 2026 paper leak is likely to become clearer in the days ahead.