Education – CBI Expands NEET Paper Leak Probe With Parent Arrest
Education – UG 2026 paper leak case after arresting a doctor from Maharashtra’s Latur district for reportedly purchasing leaked examination material for his son ahead of the national medical entrance test.
Officials identified the accused as paediatrician Dr Manoj Shirure, who is alleged to have obtained the leaked question paper before the examination conducted on May 3. Investigators believe the paper was sourced through coaching institute networks operating in Latur. The arrest is considered a major development in the case, as it is reportedly the first time a parent has been taken into custody during the ongoing investigation.
Investigation Focuses on Coaching Network
According to the investigation, the leaked paper was allegedly supplied through contacts linked to RCC Classes, a coaching institute based in Latur. The agency suspects that the institute’s founder, Shivraj Motegaonkar, played a central role in circulating examination material before the test.
Investigators claim that some parents seeking admission opportunities for their children paid significant amounts to access confidential papers in advance. The agency is examining whether organised groups involving coaching operators and intermediaries coordinated the alleged leak.
The probe has also brought retired chemistry professor PV Kulkarni under scrutiny. Officials suspect that he and others may have facilitated access to question papers and related study material before the examination date.
Money Trail Under Examination
CBI officials stated that several parents from Maharashtra are being questioned over alleged payments connected to the scam. Preliminary findings indicate that amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh may have been exchanged to obtain leaked examination content.
Authorities are now reviewing financial records, digital communications, and bank transactions to trace the movement of funds linked to the suspected network. Investigators are also studying phone records and online conversations to identify how the information was circulated among students and families.
Sources connected to the inquiry said the agency is attempting to determine whether similar arrangements were offered to candidates outside Maharashtra as well.
Questions Match Alleged Leak Material
The investigation gained momentum after officials reportedly found similarities between questions distributed through coaching material and those that later appeared in the actual NEET-UG 2026 examination.
According to investigators, 43 out of 45 chemistry questions in the final paper allegedly matched content that had earlier circulated through RCC Classes’ guess papers. This finding raised serious concerns about the integrity of the examination process.
Officials also referred to a video that circulated widely on social media in which Motegaonkar allegedly told faculty members that several questions used during practice sessions appeared unchanged in the final examination, including their sequence and format.
Special Sessions Conducted for Selected Students
Investigators further alleged that special late-night classes were organised for a limited group of students in Latur before the examination. During these sessions, handwritten question papers and answer sheets were reportedly distributed for practice purposes.
The CBI is examining whether these sessions were specifically designed to prepare selected candidates using leaked content. Officials are also trying to identify students who attended the classes and determine whether they had prior access to confidential examination material.
The agency has indicated that additional arrests may follow as the inquiry progresses. Authorities continue to investigate the full extent of the alleged paper leak network and the involvement of coaching centres, parents, and other individuals connected to the case.