Explainer: How A Bihar-Based Gang Leaked Maharashtra TET Paper From An Agra Printing Press
The probe has uncovered an alleged network spanning UP, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar, with investigators claiming the conspiracy originated months in advance.
By Dev Raj
Published : July 1, 2026 at 8:40 PM IST
Patna: What began as a routine examination for thousands of aspiring teachers turned into a major inter-state investigation after the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper was allegedly leaked on June 27, a day before the examination.
The probe has uncovered an alleged network spanning Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar, with investigators claiming the conspiracy originated months in advance and involved insiders at the printing press where the papers were produced.
ETV Bharat brings to you how the alleged paper leak unfolded.
How was the leak detected?
The Maharashtra TET examination, scheduled for June 28, was postponed after police, acting on a tip-off, raided a hotel in Bhiwandi in Thane district on June 27. Three persons - Rajiv Shah and Akash Kumar from Bihar, and Dheeraj Singh from Haryana - were arrested while allegedly attempting to distribute the leaked question papers to candidates.
According to investigators, the accused had struck deals worth crores of rupees with examinees.
The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) later verified that the seized papers matched the original question papers, prompting the postponement of the examination and the registration of an FIR.
Who is alleged to be the mastermind?
Investigators have identified Bijendra Gupta, a resident of Samastipur district in Bihar, as the alleged kingpin behind the operation. The Maharashtra Police, working with the Bihar Police's Special Task Force (STF), conducted simultaneous raids in Patna, Samastipur and Vaishali districts, leading to the arrest of Bijendra's wife, Suman Gupta, from Patna's Agamkuan area. She was taken to Maharashtra on transit remand and later remanded to police custody until July 6. Police allege she was aware of and actively assisted her husband's operations. Bijendra remains absconding.
How was the paper allegedly leaked?
According to police investigations, Bijendra had allegedly been planning the Maharashtra TET leak for nearly six months. Investigators claim he held multiple planning meetings at an apartment owned by co-accused Rajiv Shah on West Boring Canal Road in Patna. Police allege Bijendra managed to obtain all four sets of the TET question papers from the printing press in Agra, where the examination papers were printed.
Two printing press employees, identified as Sonu and Anup Kumar, allegedly supplied the confidential papers after being cultivated by the gang. Both are currently absconding. Another alleged associate, Kapil Dahiya of Sonipat in Haryana, is suspected to have transported the leaked papers from North India to Maharashtra. He reportedly escaped during the police raid in Bhiwandi and is on the run.
A long criminal history?
According to investigators, Bijendra has allegedly operated an inter-state examination paper leak network for nearly 25 years. Police claim he had struck a deal worth approximately ₹1.5 crore for the Maharashtra TET papers. Several criminal cases linked to examination paper leaks have reportedly been registered against him in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Bihar Police records indicate that he has been absconding for the past four years. He was also named as the prime accused in the 2023 Odisha JEE paper leak case, in which his brother-in-law was arrested from Samastipur in 2025.
Rajiv Shah, a BJP candidate in Bihar
Rajiv Shah, a resident of Bhabhua in Bihar's Kaimur district, previously worked in the banking sector before entering the real estate business in Patna. Police allege his apartment served as the venue for planning meetings related to the Maharashtra TET leak. Shah also contested the 2010 Bihar Assembly election from the Sandesh constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket but was unsuccessful.
What evidence has been recovered?
Police have recovered: Four leaked TET question papers, cheques worth ₹25.5 lakh, and a luxury car allegedly used to transport the leaked papers. Investigators say the vehicle travelled from Delhi to Agra and then to Maharashtra. It allegedly carried a fake registration number belonging to a motorcycle registered in Patna. Maharashtra Police have sought details of the original vehicle from Bihar Police.
What is the role of Suman Gupta?
Investigators allege Suman Gupta remained in constant contact with her husband. Police claim that after three gang members were arrested on June 27, she telephoned Bijendra and warned him not to return to Patna.
The couple allegedly owns a flat in Delhi and a house in Patna, while Suman is also said to have invested in a beauty salon. Investigators suspect these assets may have been acquired using proceeds from illegal activities, though the investigation is continuing. Police believe Bijendra was expected to travel to Patna on July 1 before attending his younger daughter's birthday celebration in Samastipur, but he never arrived.
What is the Maharashtra TET?
The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is conducted by the Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE), Pune, to assess the eligibility of candidates seeking teaching positions in schools. Like other state-level TETs conducted under the guidelines of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), the examination evaluates candidates' proficiency in subjects and teaching aptitude before they can be considered for recruitment as teachers. With the original examination cancelled, the MSCE is expected to announce a fresh date after the investigation progresses.
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