Another person has been arrested from Maharashtra’s Nashik in connection with the alleged NEET UG-2026 paper leak case, adding a fresh twist to the widening investigation into the exam scandal that has triggered outrage across the country.
The accused, identified as Shubham Khairnar. Khairnar was arrested by the Nashik Crime Branch amid an ongoing multi-agency probe into the alleged leak racket.
Following the arrest, four teams of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is now leading the investigation, reportedly reached Nashik to take custody of the accused, according to ANI.
CBI Files FIR
The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered an FIR, following a complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Union Education Ministry.
The case includes charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, theft, destruction of evidence, corruption, and unfair examination practices. The complaint alleged unauthorized circulation of NEET-UG 2026 documents before the exam conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 3, 2026.
Special CBI teams have been sent to multiple locations for investigation. According to the sources, 5 teams have been formed to investigate the case.
NEET-UG Cancelled
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 3, is the country’s largest entrance exam for undergraduate medical admissions.
However, the examination was cancelled on May 12 after allegations of a paper leak snowballed into a major controversy. The cancellation came after Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) uncovered evidence suggesting that a handwritten “guess paper” circulated before the examination closely matched several questions that later appeared in the actual test.
NTA On Paper Leak
The NTA had earlier stated that inputs regarding alleged irregularities were received on May 7 and were subsequently shared with central agencies for verification and further action.
The agency also maintained that law enforcement action and recent detentions were the result of “professional and timely work” by investigative agencies.
With the CBI now formally probing the case, investigators are examining digital trails, Telegram channels and interstate links to determine how the alleged paper leak network operated and who was involved in circulating the material.
