India
oi-Prakash KL
Birendra Kumar Gupta, the main accused in the Maharashtra TET paper leak case, has been arrested from Bihar, IANS reported.
The alleged mastermind was brought to Pune Airport and will soon take him to Bhiwandi for further investigation. The former coaching class teacher has been evading arrest for weeks.
Birendra Kumar Gupta, the main accused in the Maharashtra TET paper leak case, was arrested in Bihar by the Bhiwandi Police. He has been brought to Pune Airport and will be taken to Bhiwandi for further investigation.
The Thane Police has also arrested his associate Indrajit Singh. Both the accused are likely to be produced before a Bhiwandi court later in the day. With this, the cops have arrested a total of 14 people in connection with the case.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Pawan Bansod has confirmed the latest arrests to The Times of India. “Our team had been relentlessly searching for Bijendra Gupta for the past three weeks. We succeeded in arresting him this morning. Along with him, one of his associates, Indrajit Singh, has also been arrested. Both accused are being brought to Mumbai and will be produced before the Bhiwandi court,” the English daily quoted him as saying.
A tip-off received by Bansod cancelled the TET exam which was scheduled on June 28. The intelligence suggested that a group was planning to sell leaked question papers in Bhiwandi and the Kongaon police managed to nab three people after laying a trap who were attempting to sell leaked papers.
As the probe progressed, police uncovered a larger network allegedly involved in leaking examination papers across multiple locations.
The investigation exposed a large network operating in multiple states. The probe has already led to the arrest of several key players, including two employees of an Agra-based printing press, from where Gupta is believed to have obtained the stolen question papers. Among those previously taken into custody is Gupta’s wife, Suman Gupta.
She has allegedly played a key role in managing the racket’s finances and logistics, according to reports. Electronic devices, financial records, and a trove of documents have been seized from various locations.
Gupta had struck a deal through one of the arrested accused, Kapil Dahiya, to sell the leaked papers to a Pune-based individual, who remains the sole accused still at large. Investigators claim this absconding suspect was in touch with nearly 50 teacher aspirants willing to buy the papers before the exam.
A case was registered at the Kongaon police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act. Offences under the Maharashtra Competitive Examination Act are non-bailable, according to a report in PTI.
