NEET-UG Leak: CBI Arrested Maharashtra Coaching Centre Director.

New Delhi; May 2026: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today (Monday – 18th May 2026) have arrested the 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 probe to 10.

According to CBI sources, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, who reportedly operated coaching classes in Latur district, played a key role in the alleged NEET paper leak network. He had earlier been detained for questioning before being formally arrested by the agency.

Investigators allegedly recovered a leaked NEET-UG 2026 question paper from Motegaonkar’s mobile phone during searches conducted yesterday (Sunday – 17th May 2026), following which he was taken into custody. The CBI alleged that Motegaonkar was an active member of an organised network

involved in the leakage and circulation of the NEET-UG 2026 question paper. Officials said he had allegedly conspired with other accused persons to obtain the NEET-UG 2026 question paper and answers ahead of the examination conducted on May 03rd and subsequently circulated them to multiple individuals.

Sources said the agency is expected to issue an official statement on the latest arrest shortly. The development comes amid an intensifying nationwide investigation into the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper, which sparked widespread outrage and eventually led to the cancellation of the medical entrance examination.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court yesterday (17th May) have sent NEET paper leak accused Manisha Gurunath Mandhare to 14-day CBI custody. Mandhare, an NTA-appointed senior Botany teacher from Pune, is suspected to be the co-mastermind behind the alleged leak of the Biology question paper, while Chemistry professor P V Kulkarni is being considered the alleged ‘kingpin’ of the operation.

During proceedings at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court, the CBI informed the bench that Mandhare had access to the NEET-UG Biology paper as she was involved in translating Botany and Zoology question papers. “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”, the agency has apprised the court.

The CBI has further alleged that Mandhare had mobilised prospective NEET candidates through Pune-based consultant Waghmare, who was arrested earlier this month, and conducted special coaching sessions for students at her residence in Pune. According to investigators, she allegedly disclosed several Biology questions during those sessions and asked students to note them down and mark them in textbooks.

The agency claimed that many of those questions later matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper. Earlier, 09 accused persons had been arrested in the case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune and Ahilyanagar. Of them, 05 have already been produced before a court and remanded to seven-day police custody for detailed interrogation. 02 other accused arrested on Friday (15th May) were produced before a Pune court and later shifted to Delhi after transit remand was granted.

Team Maverick.