New Delhi, May 27: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested a doctor from Maharashtra’s Latur district and a physics faculty member from a Pune-based coaching institute in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case.
According to officials, the arrested doctor, Manoj Shirure, allegedly played a major role in helping three students, including the son of Renukai Career Centre (RCC) founder Shivraj Motegaonkar, obtain leaked chemistry questions from NEET paper setter P. V. Kulkarni.
Shivraj Motegaonkar, who operated the Renukai Career Centre in Latur, had already been arrested earlier in the investigation.
The CBI also arrested Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a physics teacher associated with Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy (APMA) in Pune. Investigators alleged that Shah received leaked physics questions for the NEET-UG 2026 examination from another arrested accused, Manisha Havaldar.
Officials said that with the latest arrests, the total number of accused taken into custody in the paper leak case has increased to 13.
In an official statement, the CBI said that investigations are continuing to expose the entire network and conspiracy linked to the examination leak. The agency has so far conducted raids at 49 locations across different states and seized several incriminating documents, laptops, and mobile phones during the searches.
The controversy erupted after allegations surfaced regarding leakage of question papers in the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3 for admission to medical colleges across the country. Following the allegations, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the examination on May 12.
Authorities have now scheduled a fresh NEET-UG re-examination for June 21 amid heightened security measures and ongoing investigations.(KNC)
