The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has significantly widened its probe into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, with investigators now focusing on a potential insider role. One more suspect was arrested from Pune, and a retired chemistry professor was detained in Latur, bringing the total number of arrests to seven.
Focus on Insider Role
Sources said the investigators are trying to ascertain if the breach originated from within the high-security core chain of custody and access before the May 3 medical entrance exam was cancelled over the leak. CBI sleuths are seeking information from the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET, about every stakeholder who had access to the question paper before it was sealed. This includes information about people who set questions, subject experts, professors, and teachers who were on the panel that prepared the questions, as well as details of the entire process of preparing questions.
High-Level Meeting
Separately, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a high-level meeting at his Delhi residence late Thursday with top officials regarding the fresh NEET test, whose dates will be announced subsequently.
Arrests and Detentions
In Pune, the CBI identified the suspect arrested Thursday as Manisha Waghmare, a beauty parlour owner who was picked up from the city's Sukhsagar Nagar area. Waghmare allegedly acted as an intermediary for Dhananjay, a BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) passout who ran a consultancy in Pune and was among the six arrested Wednesday — three from Jaipur and one each from Gurgaon, and Maharashtra's Nasik and Ahilya Nagar. Waghmare had allegedly received money from around two dozen bank accounts ahead of the test.
The CBI conducted searches at 14 locations Thursday, with the action coming as those arrested were produced in court and sent to seven days' remand for interrogation. Several other suspects are being interrogated, and more arrests will be made in the coming days. The CBI is pursuing all leads, an officer said.
Retired Chemistry Professor Detained
In Latur, the retired chemistry teacher detained by the CBI for questioning was from Dayanand Sagar College, officials said. Sources said the individual had access to the entire NEET question paper as part of a translation panel responsible for rendering the paper in Marathi. NEET is conducted in 13 languages, requiring multiple parallel translation workflows under strict confidentiality protocols.
Officials declined to disclose the professor's identity or specify the precise role, citing the sensitivity of the investigation. Latur, long regarded as a coaching hub that draws students from across Maharashtra, has emerged as a focal point in the inquiry. A complaint filed by a parent at the Superintendent of Police's office two days ago alleged that 42 questions in a mock test conducted by a private coaching institute in the city matched those in the NEET paper.
Rajasthan Suspects
In Rajasthan, investigators suspect Dinesh Biwal, one of the three arrested from the state, is suspected to have scanned the hard copy of the leaked NEET paper and shared it digitally. He allegedly obtained the paper from Gurgaon's Yash Yadav, another arrested suspect from Gurgaon, for his son and later shared or sold it to other students known to him in Sikar district.
Larger Conspiracy Alleged
In Delhi, where some of the suspects were remanded by a local court, the CBI alleged a larger conspiracy behind the nationwide leak. The agency told the court that custodial interrogation was necessary to apprehend other culprits, recover digital devices and electronic evidence, trace the financial trail, and identify possible officials of the NTA involved in the crime.
