Full Breakdown
Maharashtra Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) Paper Leak: Shoe-Insole Smuggling, Candidate Ransom, and Arrests
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Core Event – Leak, Smuggling, and Arrests
On June 27, a day before the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) on June 28, police uncovered a racket that had removed four complete sets of confidential question papers from Mahim Patran Pvt. Ltd., an Agra-based printing press. According to the nearly 3,500-page chargesheet filed by Thane City police, two press employees and a former staffer concealed the folded papers inside their shoe insoles, evading security guards who frisked clothing but not footwear. The employees were paid INR8,000 each and were promised land plots in Agra.
The stolen papers were offered to candidates for INR80,000 to INR1 lakh per set. Buyers had to hand over original marksheets and other educational documents as collateral, with the promise of return after the exam if the papers matched the official set.
The chargesheet, submitted on June 28, names 18 accused. Sixteen have been arrested; two alleged accomplices—Ashok Sav and Prakash Misal—remain absconding. The alleged mastermind is Bijendra Gupta, a former coaching-class teacher previously linked to an Odisha paper-leak case.
Background & Context
The TET is a statewide exam that determines eligibility for teaching positions. The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) prepared four separate sets of question papers across two papers, allowing a random set to be selected on exam day. The printing press was contracted to produce these confidential materials.
Timeline
- June 15 – June 17: Two employees and a former staffer hid folded question papers in shoe insoles to bypass security checks.
- June 27: Deputy Commissioner of Police Pavan Bansod received a tip-off about three men attempting to sell the papers. Police set a trap with decoy personnel in the Kongaon area of Bhiwandi, detained the suspects, and seized four sets of papers. MSCE officials later verified that the seized material matched the actual TET paper.
- June 28: Thane City police filed the comprehensive chargesheet against the 18 accused.
Data & Statistics
- Accused: 18 (16 arrested, 2 absconding).
- Paper sets stolen: 4.
- Employee payment: INR8,000 each; promised land plots in Agra.
- Candidate price: INR80,000 – INR1 lakh per set.
- Collateral: Original marksheets and educational documents.
- Charges: Provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy) and Maharashtra state laws on examination malpractice and unfair means.
Official Statements & Responses
Deputy Commissioner Pavan Bansod confirmed that a tip-off led to the trap operation and recovery of the papers. MSCE officials verified the authenticity of the seized sets. A senior police official indicated that a supplementary chargesheet will be filed as the probe continues. The case is being handled by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Why It Matters / Impact
The leak threatened the integrity of a high-stakes public exam, prompting the postponement of the June 28 TET. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in the physical security of exam-printing facilities and has spurred calls for stricter safeguards. The arrests aim to deter future paper-leak networks and restore public confidence in the examination system.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All cited sources present a consistent narrative regarding the method of smuggling, the amounts paid to press employees, and the ransom demanded from candidates. No substantive contradictions appear. Remaining gaps include the final status of the two absconding suspects, details of the promised land-plot compensation, and the outcome of the anticipated supplementary chargesheet.