18 Accused in Maharashtra TET Paper Leak Sent to Judicial Custody
All 18 accused in the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test paper leak case have been sent to judicial custody until October 14 by a Bhiwandi court.
In a significant development regarding the Maharashtra TET paper leak case, a court in Bhiwandi has ordered that all 18 accused individuals be remanded to judicial custody until October 14. This ruling comes as the investigation into the massive examination scandal continues to unfold.
The court's decision includes two individuals who had previously been held in police custody since September 20. According to defense lawyer Shailesh Gaikwad, these two were also transitioned to judicial custody following the latest court proceedings.
Defense Claims Lack of Progress in Investigation
The legal proceedings highlighted concerns regarding the pace of the police investigation. During the hearing, the defense counsel raised several allegations regarding the conduct of the probe. Gaikwad suggested that the police had failed to present substantial updates concerning the core elements of the crime.
Specifically, the defense pointed out that during the period of police custody, there had been no reported progress regarding:
- Financial transactions related to the leak.
- The exchange of money between parties.
- Payments made to the buyers of the leaked content.
- The specific mechanics of how the question papers were leaked.
The defense lawyer noted that an extension was sought due to this apparent lack of progress in the investigation. Currently, the case is at the stage of framing charges, and further clarity on the trial process or bail applications is expected to emerge starting Monday.
The Scandal That Postponed the June Examination
The Maharashtra TET paper leak case traces back to late June, when the Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) was forced to take drastic measures. The Teacher Eligibility Test, which was originally scheduled to take place on June 28 across 1,028 centers throughout the state, had to be postponed on June 27.
The decision followed urgent intelligence received on the morning of the postponement. Confidential information indicated that certain individuals in the Bhiwandi region had gained unauthorized access to information regarding the TET question papers. This intelligence came at a time when the MSCE was already on high alert, having implemented strict security measures following irregularities seen in the NEET 2026 examination.
Police Raid Confirms Leak
Following the tip-off, the Bhiwandi Police launched a targeted raid. The subsequent investigation yielded damning evidence: several questions found in an unauthorized question paper matched the actual TET examination paper exactly. This discovery prompted the police to register a formal case against the involved individuals and triggered the wide-scale investigation that has now led to the current judicial proceedings.