Police investigating the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak case have made another key arrest. Prakash Pawar, the owner of a pre-recruitment coaching centre in Solapur district, was taken into custody by the Bhiwandi Police in Thane district.
According to investigators, Pawar has been running the Dhruv Pratishthan Coaching Centre for nearly a decade, providing coaching for government job and teacher recruitment examinations. His alleged involvement in the paper leak came to light during the ongoing investigation.
During searches conducted at his premises, police seized 26 sets of examination papers, including six TET question papers. Investigators are now examining how these papers reached him and whether they were circulated to candidates before the examination.
A local court has remanded Pawar to police custody until August 15. Authorities are examining his mobile phone records, financial transactions, and the operations of his coaching institute. Police believe more arrests could follow as the investigation progresses.
Preliminary findings suggest that nearly 1,000 candidates have received training at Pawar's coaching centre over the past few years. Investigators are also looking into the institute's fee model, under which candidates reportedly paid only after securing success in competitive examinations, to determine whether it was linked to illegal activities.
However, Pawar's lawyer has denied all allegations, claiming that his client is innocent and has been providing affordable coaching to underprivileged students. The defence argues that possessing old question papers does not prove involvement in a paper leak.
The Maharashtra government had postponed the 2026 TET examination after the paper leak came to light on June 27 and ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. With Pawar's arrest, the total number of people arrested in the case has increased to 16.
