NEET-UG 2026 paper leak: CBI arrests Maharashtra coaching director, 10 held
Synopsis
The CBI's NEET-UG 2026 paper leak probe has reached its tenth arrest — a Maharashtra coaching centre director from Latur — as investigators simultaneously secured 14-day custody of an NTA-appointed Botany teacher accused of disclosing Biology questions to students at private sessions in Pune. The alleged kingpin, Chemistry Professor P.V. Kulkarni, remains at the centre of a multi-state dragnet.
Key Takeaways
CBI arrested Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar , director of a Latur -based coaching centre, on 18 May in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case — the 10th arrest in the probe.
Manisha Gurunath Mandhare , an NTA -appointed Botany teacher from Pune , was sent to 14-day CBI custody by a Delhi court on Sunday.
Chemistry Professor P.V.
Kulkarni is identified as the alleged 'kingpin'; Mandhare is suspected to be the co-mastermind.
Mandhare allegedly disclosed Biology questions to students at private coaching sessions in her Pune residence; investigators claim most questions matched the actual paper.
Arrests span Delhi , Jaipur , Gurugram , Nashik , Pune , and Ahilyanagar ; the 3 May NEET-UG 2026 examination was cancelled following the leak.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday, 18 May arrested Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, director of a Maharashtra-based coaching centre, in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, taking the total number of arrests in the ongoing probe to ten. Motegaonkar, who reportedly ran coaching classes in Latur, is alleged to have played a significant role in the paper leak network, according to CBI sources.
Who Is Motegaonkar and What Is His Alleged Role
According to CBI sources, Motegaonkar had earlier been taken into custody for questioning before being formally arrested by the agency on Monday. Investigators allege he was a key node in the network that facilitated the circulation of the NEET-UG 2026 question paper ahead of the examination. The CBI was expected to issue an official statement on the arrest shortly, sources added.
The Co-Mastermind: Manisha Mandhare Sent to CBI Custody
A day earlier, on Sunday, a Delhi court sent Manisha Gurunath Mandhare — an NTA-appointed senior Botany teacher from Pune — to 14-day CBI custody. Mandhare is suspected to be the co-mastermind behind the leak of the Biology question paper. Chemistry Professor P.V. Kulkarni is being treated as the alleged 'kingpin' of the entire operation.
During proceedings at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court, the CBI told the bench: 'Manisha was in conspiracy with P.V. Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare. She gave the question paper to another accused, Shubham. Simultaneous investigations are going on across the country. We need to take her to different parts of the country for investigation.'
How the Alleged Leak Was Executed
The CBI alleged that Mandhare mobilised prospective NEET candidates through Pune-based consultant Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested earlier this month. According to investigators, Mandhare conducted special coaching sessions at her Pune residence during which she allegedly disclosed several Biology questions and instructed students to note them down and mark them in textbooks. Investigators claim a majority of those questions matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 paper.
Arrests So Far and Where the Probe Stands
Prior to Monday's arrest, nine accused had been held from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar. Of these, five have been produced before court and remanded to 7-day police custody for detailed interrogation. Two others, arrested on Friday, were produced before a court in Pune and subsequently shifted to Delhi on transit remand.
Background: The Examination That Was Cancelled
The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak triggered widespread outrage across the country, ultimately forcing authorities to cancel the 3 May examination. The scandal has drawn intense scrutiny of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and raised fresh questions about the integrity of centralised medical entrance testing in India. This comes amid a broader pattern of examination integrity controversies that have dogged competitive testing bodies in recent years.
With the probe now spanning multiple states and the accused count at ten, the CBI's investigation is expected to widen further as it traces the full chain of the alleged leak network.
Point of View
But the deeper accountability question — how an NTA-appointed examiner allegedly had access to live question papers and the freedom to conduct private coaching sessions — has not been addressed. India has now seen recurring examination integrity failures across NEET, UGC-NET, and state-level tests. Without structural reforms to the NTA's paper-setting and distribution chain, arrests alone will not restore credibility to centralised testing.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar and why was he arrested?
Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar is the director of a coaching centre in Latur, Maharashtra, arrested by the CBI on 18 May 2026 in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. He is alleged to have played a significant role in the network that circulated the question paper before the examination.
What is the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case?
The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak refers to the alleged circulation of the medical entrance examination's question paper before the 3 May 2026 test date, which triggered nationwide outrage and led to the cancellation of the examination. The CBI is conducting a multi-state investigation into the leak network.
Who are the key accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak?
Chemistry Professor P.V. Kulkarni is identified as the alleged kingpin, while Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, an NTA-appointed Botany teacher from Pune, is suspected to be the co-mastermind. Pune-based consultant Manisha Waghmare, arrested earlier in May, is also named as a key link in the network.
What did Manisha Mandhare allegedly do in the paper leak?
According to the CBI, Mandhare allegedly conducted private coaching sessions at her Pune residence where she disclosed Biology questions to students and asked them to note and mark the answers in textbooks. Investigators claim a majority of those questions matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 paper.
How many people have been arrested so far in the NEET-UG 2026 leak probe?
As of 18 May 2026, ten people have been arrested in the case, with accused drawn from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar. The CBI is conducting simultaneous investigations across multiple states.
