CBI Gets Seven-Day Custody Of Five NEET-UG Leak Accused
A special CBI court, while granting custody, observed that the allegations indicated the involvement of an “organised gang” engaged in leaking and circulating confidential examination papers for monetary gain.
New Delhi:The CBI on Thursday secured seven-day custody of five accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case and arrested two more suspects, as the agency widened its probe to examine the possible role of insiders in the National Testing Agency (NTA).
A special CBI court, while granting custody, observed that the allegations indicated the involvement of an “organised gang” engaged in leaking and circulating confidential examination papers for monetary gain.
The five accused — Shubham Khairnar, Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Yash Yadav — were produced before Special Judge Ajay Gupta after being brought on transit remand from different states.
The agency also arrested Dhananjay Lokhanda from Ahilyanagar and Manisha Waghmare from Pune in connection with the case.
In its remand plea, the CBI alleged that question papers were circulated in PDF format through WhatsApp and Telegram before the examination. It said the leak involved financial transactions, including a deal of Rs 10 lakh for access to the paper.
According to the agency, the accused shared leaked Physics, Chemistry and Biology papers through messaging platforms and distributed printed copies to candidates.
Officials said the role of NTA personnel and others linked to the printing process was under scrutiny, adding that involvement of public servants could not be ruled out.
The FIR was registered on May 12 on a complaint by a Department of Higher Education official after an inquiry by Rajasthan’s Special Operations Group indicated the authenticity of leaked questions.
Meanwhile, the controversy triggered protests in several parts of the country, with demands for scrapping the NTA and action against those responsible.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan faced protests in Ahmedabad, where demonstrators showed black flags and sought his resignation.
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking strict action and a shift to a computer-based examination system.
The NEET-UG 2026 examination, held on May 3, was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak, leaving over 22 lakh aspirants uncertain about the revised schedule.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, a 21-year-old aspirant died by suicide following the cancellation of the examination, his family said. Police said no suicide note was recovered.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the government was treating the matter with “great seriousness and sensitivity” and assured that strict action would be taken. “No one will be spared, especially this exam mafia that is attempting to toy with the future of our children. Absolutely no one will be spared,” he said.
