The Indian educational system is grappling with fresh allegations of examination malfeasance as the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper was reportedly leaked just a day prior to the examination. On June 27, 2026, Mumbai Police apprehended three individuals connected to the leak and seized four sets of the purported question papers in a targeted operation in Kongaon, Thane district.

During the investigation, those arrested allegedly implicated Bijendra Gupta, a resident of Samastipur, Bihar, as the orchestrator of the operation. Gupta is previously known for his involvement in various examination leak cases and has reportedly managed to avoid capture on multiple occasions.

Efforts by Maharashtra authorities to locate Gupta are ongoing, as the implications of this incident extend to unresolved concerns from previous cases.

Details of the 2024 Sting Operation

The backdrop of this case is intensified by a sting operation conducted by India Today in 2024 that featured Gupta discussing the intricate workings of a paper leak network. Following the NEET-UG paper leak incident, this operation took place in Patna, revealing alarming details about the examination fraud landscape.

In the sting footage, Gupta claimed he had over 25 years of experience in the examination leak industry. He confessed to previously being involved with leaks from examinations that included the 2023 Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC), the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), and the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) examinations. Gupta made provocative allegations regarding the scale of these operations, stating that approximately 700 students had benefited from the NEET-UG leak.

Gupta also alleged that the mastermind behind the NEET-UG fraud, Sanjeev Mukhiya, would evade capture indefinitely. Authorities eventually apprehended Mukhiya in April 2025, confirming some of Gupta’s claims regarding the extensive financial gains from the scheme, which were estimated to be between Rs 200 crore and Rs 300 crore.

Reaction to the Maharashtra TET Leak

In light of the recent allegations, the Maharashtra government has made the decision to postpone the TET 2026 examination, which was originally set for June 28. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the situation. The Education Department is currently assessing whether the materials retrieved are authentic TET question papers or simply mock tests.

The outcomes of this verification will dictate the next steps for the government, which may include the cancellation of the examination if the papers are indeed confirmed to be genuine. In such a scenario, law enforcement actions against those implicated are expected to escalate.

This investigation was prompted by police operations that took place in Bhiwandi on the morning of June 27, based on confidential inputs. The operation led to the recovery of four TET question papers and several payment cards from the apprehended individuals. The accused—identified as Akash, Rajiv, and Dheeraj—had travelled from Delhi, with two hailing from Bihar and one from Haryana.

Initial findings have indicated that some of the retrieved questions are similar to those included in the TET 2026 examination material. Investigators are operating under the belief that the questioned papers originated from Delhi, with monetary demands reportedly reaching around Rs 1.5 crore for their release.

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