NEET paper leaked to Telegram group ‘Private Mafia’ ahead of exam; NTA officials under CBI scanner

Seven individuals arrested across multiple states as forensic analysis confirms matching physics and chemistry questions in Set 12.

 In a major development that compromises the sanctity of the medical entrance examination, details have emerged showing that the NEET 2026 paper was leaked on May 1 via a encrypted Telegram group named ‘Private Mafia’.

Initial reports indicate that several questions found in the Set Number-12 question paper shared within the clandestine group were completely identical to the official papers distributed during the national exam conducted on May 3.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the pan-India probe, has placed senior officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) on its radar to check for internal complicity. Investigators are currently verifying a viral video that surfaced online mapping out the leak timeline.

402-member group, password locked

The specialized Telegram channel used to orchestrate the leak had a highly guarded subscriber base of 402 members. According to sources familiar with the matter, the digital community was created back in 2024 specifically to facilitate competitive exam paper leaks.

Leak Channel Registry Log:

Group Alias: Private Mafia

Member Count: 402

Payload: NEET_UG_SET12.pdf

Timestamp: May 1, 11:38 PM

Decryption Key: LeakMafia@9466

Minutes before uploading the highly sensitive PDF file late on the evening of May 1, the channel administrator posted a broadcast message stating, "we are uploading the full paper soon."

The document was subsequently uploaded at approximately 11:38 PM, locked behind the password LeakMafia@9466. A follow-up directive from the admin urged members to "Solve the paper we have sent. There is a 99.99% chance that this will come in the exam."

Questions in allegedly leaked paper match

A granular comparison of the leaked digital document with the original Set Number-12 paper retrieved from exam centres shows an absolute match in technical questions. Local authorities confirmed that a specific physics question involving a velocity-time graph for a ball thrown vertically upwards matched 100 percent in both data points and visual layout.

Furthermore, questions 23 and 24 on the subsequent pages showed no variations. Question 23, which detailed a monochromatic light ray passing through a triangular prism ABC, retained the exact structural diagram and numerical options—ranging from 35 degrees to 55 degrees—in both copies. The complex circuit diagram printed for question 24 similarly mirrored the leaked Telegram PDF layout.

5 accused sent to 7-day custody

Taking swift action, the federal agency produced five key operators before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday. The accused, identified as Mangi Lal Binwal, his brother Dinesh Binwal, his son Vikas Binwal (all hailing from Rajasthan), Yash Yadav from Gurugram, and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik, were remanded to seven days of CBI custody.

Two other associates, including a beautician from Pune identified as Manisha Waghmare and Dhananjay Lokhande from Nashik, have also been detained in connection with the widening network.

Arguments of CBI's lawyer outline racket

Special Public Prosecutor Neetu Singh argued before Special CBI Judge Ajay Gupta that extended police custody was imperative to unearth a massive, cross-border institutional conspiracy. The prosecution noted that the leaked modules had been disseminated across multiple states under tight financial transactions.

The investigation revealed that Khairnar was the initial source who transmitted the files to Yadav on Telegram, who then established contact with Mangi Lal to secure a leaked copy for his younger son. The illicit transaction was reportedly locked in for a staggering sum of ₹10 lakh to ₹12 lakh per candidate, with candidates required to submit their Class 10 and 12 certificates alongside post-dated checks as security deposits.

Racket mixed hundreds of questions

To minimize suspicion from central invigilators, the masterminds did not rely on a singular leaked sheet format. Instead, tech-savvy handlers prepared comprehensive revision sets combining 500 to 600 questions across Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

"They did not provide the exact same questions linearly, but rather prepared a comprehensive set by combining hundreds of high-probability questions from all subjects so that no single center would raise an alarm," an investigative official stated on condition of anonymity.

Printed copies of these solved question banks were ultimately distributed to select candidates at safe-houses in Sikar and Jaipur just 24 hours before the examination commenced.

Tech evidence deleted from iPhone

The probe has run into digital roadblocks as primary accused Yash Yadav reportedly deleted crucial WhatsApp and Instagram chat histories right before his arrest, specifically targeting conversations with the Binwal family.

CBI forensic experts are currently deploying advanced data retrieval tools to recover the deleted logs from his iPhone. Moving forward, the agency is expected to summon printing press executives and regional NTA coordinators to determine the exact point of origin of the physical leak.