A major paper leak involving the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) was foiled in Bhiwandi a day before the scheduled examination, with the arrest of three alleged members of a paper leak racket. Police said the accused had brought the TET question papers from Delhi and were allegedly preparing to sell them in a deal worth around 1.5 crore rupees.

Acting on a tip-off, the Bhiwandi Police laid a trap and apprehended the three accused before the transaction could take place. The arrested men have been identified as Rajiv Shaw and Akash Kumar, both from Bihar, and Dheeraj Singh from Haryana. Police recovered mobile phones, cash and four sets of TET question papers meant for the examination scheduled for the following day.

Officials of the Maharashtra State Council of Examination examined the seized papers and confirmed that they matched the original question papers. Following the verification, a case was registered at the Bhiwandi Police Station, and further investigation is underway.

Investigators are probing the accused’s local contacts in Bhiwandi, the larger network behind the alleged paper leak racket, the possible involvement of educational institutions or middlemen, and the identity of the mastermind. Police are also examining the financial trail linked to the alleged 1.5 crore rupees deal.

Following the incident, the Maharashtra State Council of Examination postponed Sunday’s TET examination. A revised date for the examination will be announced later. The development has caused concern among lakhs of candidates across Maharashtra.