'MCOCA against culprits': Shinde as 3 arrested in Maharashtra TET paper leak

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday assured strict action against those responsible after the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) was postponed 24 hours before the examination following a suspected paper leak.He said the state government was considering invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against those behind the alleged leak."The incident of the TET paper leak is very disturbing. I will discuss in detail with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against the masterminds and the accused in this case under. No concession will be given to the culprit, regardless of their position or whether they are part of any organised gang. The strictest action will be taken against those concerned as per the law," the Shiv Sena leader told reporters.He also praised the police for their prompt and vigilant action, saying the officers saved the future of "lakhs of hardworking and honest candidates from going into darkness."Meanwhile, Bhiwandi Police detained three individuals from the Kongaon area on the Kalyan–Bhiwandi border in connection with the case. The accused have been identified as Rajeev Shah, Akash Kumar, and Dheeraj Kumar.Separately, politics intensified over the postponement, with the opposition targeting the ruling BJP, which also leads the government at the Centre, over repeated allegations of paper leaks. In May, NEET-UG was also affected by an alleged question paper leak, leading to a re-examination held on June 21.Congress MP and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the country’s examination system has been turned into a "system of extortion.""Another paper leak. Another exam cancelled. This time, Maharashtra's TET. The country's education and examination system has been turned into a system of extortion, leaving every youth in the country insecure. This is not just a paper leak, it is the theft of the youth's future," Rahul Gandhi posted on X.AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of "stealing everywhere", referencing the NEET-UG paper leak and the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh - another BJP-led state."Temples aren't being managed. Exams can't even be conducted under them. How will they run the country? The country is not safe in their hands, friends," Kejriwal wrote in his post.The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) on Saturday postponed the Maharashtra TET on the eve of the examination after a suspected question paper leak surfaced during a police investigation in Bhiwandi, according to an official statement.MSCE stated that despite implementing all necessary security measures in light of the irregularities reported during the NEET-UG examination, confidential inputs revealed that certain individuals in Bhiwandi were in possession of information related to the TET question paper.The examination was scheduled to be held at 1,028 centres across the state. A fresh date for the test will be announced later, the council added.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.