Mastermind of Maharashtra TET Paper Leak Arrested in Bihar After Month-Long Hunt

Nearly a month after the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper leak disrupted the plans of approximately six lakh aspirants, Thane City Police arrested the alleged mastermind, Bijendra Gupta, on Saturday. Gupta had been evading arrest and living under a false identity in Bihar.

The Indian Express had reported earlier that Gupta, a former coaching class teacher with a history of involvement in paper leak cases, remained absconding even as the investigation progressed. His arrest comes at a time when the state government has yet to announce a new date for the examination, and student organisations have intensified protests demanding the resignation of School Education Minister Dada Bhuse over the leak.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Dr Pawan Bansod confirmed the arrest. “Today morning we arrested him from Bihar. We are bringing him to Thane and will produce him before the court to seek his custody,” Bansod said. Police are still searching for a few others who allegedly agreed to purchase the leaked question paper but have since gone underground. “Those arrested are still in judicial custody and we will soon file the chargesheet,” the officer added.

The leak came to light two days before the examination, after Thane City Police received a tip-off from a Bhiwandi resident who said he had been approached by three people offering to sell the TET question paper. A raid confirmed the accused were carrying question papers meant for the examination. Rajiv Kumar and Aakash Kumar were arrested from Bihar, and Dheeraj Singh from Haryana. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was then constituted to probe the case.

Investigators traced the leak to an Agra-based printing press, Mahim Patran Pvt Ltd, where two current employees and a former employee allegedly smuggled out copies of the confidential question paper hidden inside their shoe insoles. Police allege the three had been cultivated by Gupta for just Rs 8,000. The papers were printed in Agra because the state has for years printed question papers outside Maharashtra to maintain secrecy, with only the head of the examination council aware of the press’s identity. The state outsourced the examination to a private agency in 2017 but reverted to out-of-state printing after another TET leak in 2021. With that system now compromised too, the School Education Department is examining alternative safeguards.

The arrest of Gupta is a significant development, but the larger issue of examination integrity remains. Student organisations continue to demand a fresh exam date and accountability from the state government. The case highlights vulnerabilities in the system of outsourcing and printing sensitive examination materials. Authorities are expected to file a chargesheet soon, and further arrests may follow as the investigation continues.