Three arrested in Bhiwandi over TET paper leak as state considers MCOCA charges
The Maharashtra government is considering invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against three individuals arrested in Bhiwandi for allegedly leaking the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) question paper. State School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse announced the move in the state legislative Assembly on Monday, following the arrest of the suspects by the Kongaon police on June 27, 2026, just a day before the scheduled examination.
According to Minister Bhuse, the police received information on June 27 that certain individuals were planning to sell the question paper for the TET, which was scheduled for June 28, 2026. Acting on the tip, the police set a trap and apprehended three suspects in possession of the actual question papers. Senior education department officials later confirmed that the recovered documents were indeed the official question papers.
A case was registered at the Kongaon police station in Bhiwandi. The three arrested individuals face multiple charges under sections 318(4), 316(5), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They are also charged under sections of the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, 1982.
Following the arrests, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the joint commissioner of police (crime), Thane city, was constituted to probe the leak. The SIT has dispatched two investigative teams to Bihar, one to Haryana, and one to Delhi. The three accused currently remain in police custody.
In addition to exploring MCOCA charges, Minister Bhuse announced that the government will set up a committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, to transition the TET and other state examinations to a transparent online system. He assured that a re-examination will be conducted in a disciplined manner, with no fees charged to the candidates.
The announcements came amid strong protests from Opposition MLAs in both houses of the state legislature. Opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav and Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, demanded discussions on the recurring paper leaks, leading to temporary adjournments and a walkout in the Assembly.
