CBI Expands NEET-UG Paper Leak Probe, Arrests Two More Including Former Professor
The Central Bureau of Investigation has intensified its crackdown on the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, making two additional arrests and bringing officials from the National Testing Agency under closer scrutiny. According to sources, investigators are now examining the possible involvement of certain NTA personnel and individuals associated with institutions that had access to the question paper printing process.
Fresh Arrests and Nationwide Raids
The agency apprehended Dhananjay Lokhande from Ahilyanagar and Manisha Waghmare from Pune, both in Maharashtra. In a separate development, a retired college professor from Latur district was also taken into custody. Over the past 24 hours, the CBI has conducted coordinated search operations at 14 locations across the country, signaling an aggressive push to trace the origin of the leak.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of government employees being involved in the conspiracy. The latest actions follow a series of earlier arrests, including Mangilal Bipal, Vikas Bipal, and Dinesh Bipal from Jaipur, along with Yash Yadav from Gurugram and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik.
Alleged Payment of ₹10–12 Lakh for Leaked Paper
During interrogation, a significant lead emerged involving Shubham Khairnar, who allegedly informed Yash Yadav in April that Mangilal Bipal was willing to pay between ₹10 and ₹12 lakh to secure the leaked NEET question paper for his younger son. Khairnar reportedly supplied Yadav with 500 to 600 questions, many of which later appeared in the actual examination.
Further investigation revealed that Bipal distributed the same question paper among his relatives as well. Forensic examination of digital devices seized from the accused has uncovered chat logs, leaked question papers, and other electronic evidence. Investigators are now working to recover deleted data from these devices to establish the full chain of communication.
Latur Coaching Hub Under Scrutiny
Attention has also turned to Latur, a prominent coaching hub attracting students from across Maharashtra. The probe gained momentum after a parent filed a complaint alleging that 42 questions from a mock test conducted by a private coaching institute matched the actual NEET exam questions.
Following this complaint, the CBI detained a retired teacher from a local college. The agency has not yet disclosed the individual’s identity. Earlier, Latur police had already questioned six people, including coaching staff, counselors, and students, in connection with the case.
Background of the Exam and the Leak
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 international centers, with approximately 2.3 million students registered. After allegations of a paper leak surfaced, the NTA annulled the examination. The Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group had earlier claimed that nearly 120 questions from a so-called “guess paper” circulating before the exam matched those in the actual test.
The CBI’s ongoing investigation continues to widen, with multiple agencies coordinating to identify all those responsible for compromising the integrity of one of the country’s most competitive medical entrance examinations.
