CBI Arrests Latur Coaching Director in NEET-UG Paper Leak Case

Leaked question paper found on phone as agency nabs 10th accused

The Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) on Monday arrested Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, the director of a prominent chemistry coaching centre in Latur, marking the tenth arrest in the ongoing probe into the NEET-UG paper leak. Highly placed sources in the agency confirmed that a leaked copy of the examination paper was recovered directly from Motegaonkar's mobile phone during a high-stakes search operation conducted late Sunday evening.

Organised racket operating across states

Initial reports indicate that Motegaonkar was an active part of a highly organised syndicate involved in the illegal procurement and circulation of national-level competitive exam material. According to officials, the accused and his associates managed to get their hands on both the question paper and the answer key as early as April 23, following which the material was shared with a select group of individuals for hefty sums of money.

The arrest followed an intense eight-hour questioning session at Motegaonkar’s residence on May 15. The accused runs Renukai Chemistry Classes (RCC), a major coaching hub with a presence across Latur and six other districts in Maharashtra.

Search operations yield incriminating digital evidence

On Sunday, federal investigators raided the main corporate office of RCC, seizing a cache of documents, hard drives, and electronic communication devices. Local authorities confirmed that the coaching institute commands an annual turnover of roughly ₹100 crore, raising suspicions about the financial scale of the racket.

"The CBI suspects that multiple medical aspirants were given covert access to the leaked questions right inside the coaching facility premises," a source close to the development said under condition of anonymity. Investigators are also looking into a network of local doctors in Latur who allegedly purchased the papers for their children.

Inside access via paper-setting committee

The investigation has thrown up startling revelations regarding the breach within the National Testing Agency (NTA). The federal agency claims that Manisha Mandhare, who was recently arrested, was part of the NTA’s confidential paper-setting panel, giving her direct access to the final question set.

Before the scheduled exam date, Mandhare reportedly organised exclusive, closed-door coaching sessions in Pune, where students were instructed to memorise specific questions from the Botany and Zoology sections. The CBI has so far arrested nine other accused from a network stretching across Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar, while a fresh raid was conducted at a residential property in Nanded on Sunday.

Political storm erupts over repeated leaks

Meanwhile, the development has triggered a major political row in New Delhi. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi took to X on Sunday to hit out at the central government over its handling of national competitive exams. Gandhi pointed out that while the NEET 2024 paper leak faced severe criticism without any accountability, the repetition of the crisis with the NEET 2026 paper leak represents a systemic failure.

He questioned why the Union Education Minister has not been dismissed from his cabinet position despite back-to-back security lapses that continue to jeopardise the future of millions of students across the country.

Restructuring at NTA and upcoming re-exam

In a bid to control the damage, the Central Government has initiated a major administrative overhaul within the NTA. Four senior bureaucrats have been inducted into the testing body to clean up the system. IRS officers Akash Jain and Aditya Rajendra Bhojgadhia have assumed charges as Joint Directors, while Anuja Bapat and Ruchita Vij have been posted as Joint Secretaries for a five-year tenure.

The NEET-UG exam, which saw nearly 23 lakh students appear across 551 Indian cities and 14 overseas centres on May 3, was officially cancelled on May 12 after irregularities were detected. The NTA has now scheduled a nationwide re-examination for June 21.

Apex court moved for dissolution of testing body

As the CBI widens its net, the legal battle has reached the steps of the highest court. The United Doctors Front (UDF) has approached the Supreme Court of India through advocates Ritu Renival and Mahendra Kumawat, filing a petition that demands the complete dissolution of the NTA.

The petitioners have urged the court to direct the Parliament to enact a new law creating an independent, foolproof National Testing Body. The plea also seeks the immediate setting up of a court-monitored committee to oversee upcoming national entrance tests to restore public trust in the examination system.