India
oi-Swastika Sruti
The investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has intensified further after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two more accused persons and conducted searches at 14 locations across the country within the last 24 hours.
The CBI arrested two more suspects, Dhananjay Lokhande and Manisha Waghmare, bringing the total to seven accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, alongside searches at 14 locations affecting nearly 23 lakh aspirants nationwide.
With the latest arrests, the total number of people taken into custody in the case has now reached seven.
The nationwide probe is expanding rapidly as investigators attempt to uncover the full network behind the alleged leak that forced the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination and affected nearly 23 lakh medical aspirants across India.
Two More Arrested In Maharashtra
According to officials, the two latest accused arrested by the CBI are from Maharashtra.
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Dhananjay Lokhande from Ahilyanagar
- Manisha Waghmare from Pune
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two more accused persons and conducted searches at 14 locations in the last 24 hours, across the country, in connection with alleged irregularities in paper leak related to NEET-UG 2026 examination.
Two more accused persons,… pic.twitter.com/LOrYQoj3gT
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2026
Investigators believe both suspects may have played important roles in the alleged circulation and handling of leaked examination material.
Officials said both are currently being questioned in detail as agencies examine possible links between various suspects across multiple states.
Total Arrests Reach Seven
The latest arrests come just a day after five other accused were detained in connection with the case.
Those arrested earlier include suspects from:
According to officials:
- Three accused were arrested from Jaipur
- One accused was arrested from Gurugram
- One accused was arrested from Nashik
With the addition of the two Maharashtra arrests, the total number of accused in custody has now increased to seven.
CBI Conducts Raids Across Multiple Locations
As part of the widening investigation, the CBI also carried out searches at 14 different locations across India during the last 24 hours.
Officials said the raids were conducted to:
- Collect digital evidence
- Seize financial documents
- Trace communication networks
Identify additional suspects involved in the alleged leak
Investigators are reportedly examining:
- Mobile phones
- Laptops
- Messaging applications
- Bank transaction records
- Call data records
to reconstruct how the question paper may have been leaked and distributed before the examination.
Several Suspects Still Being Questioned
CBI officials confirmed that multiple suspects are currently under interrogation.
Authorities believe the leak may involve a larger organised network operating across several states through middlemen, coaching-linked contacts, digital channels and paper suppliers.
Officials indicated that more arrests could take place in the coming days as the investigation progresses.
NEET 2026 Exam Was Cancelled After Leak Allegations
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 across thousands of centres in India.
However, soon after the examination, allegations surfaced claiming that leaked “guess papers” and question sets had circulated before the test.
Investigators later found that several questions from the circulated material allegedly matched the actual NEET paper.
Following public outrage and mounting pressure, the Union government cancelled the examination and handed over the case to the CBI for a detailed probe.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) later announced that a fresh examination would be conducted for all candidates.
Nationwide Network Under Scanner
The investigation has now spread across multiple states including:
- Rajasthan
- Maharashtra
- Haryana
- Delhi
- Bihar
- Uttarakhand
Earlier investigations had already pointed towards possible links involving:
- Coaching counsellors
- MBBS students
- Intermediaries
- Digital distribution groups
- Alleged “guess paper” sellers
Officials suspect the leak network may have operated through WhatsApp, Telegram and other encrypted communication channels.
Pressure Mounts On Agencies
The repeated NEET paper leak controversies have triggered nationwide anger among students and parents. Many aspirants had spent years preparing for the highly competitive medical entrance examination.
The cancellation of the exam has now created uncertainty for lakhs of students waiting for admissions into medical colleges.
Opposition parties, educators and students have also questioned the credibility of national-level entrance examinations and demanded strict punishment for those responsible.
More Raids And Arrests Likely
As the investigation expands, officials believe the case could reveal a much larger organised examination racket operating across India.
The CBI is expected to continue:
- Raids
- Interrogations
- Financial tracking
- Digital forensic analysis
in the coming days.
Sources say agencies are now focused on identifying the original source of the leak and understanding how the paper allegedly travelled across different states before reaching students and middlemen.
With the total arrests now rising steadily, the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case is becoming one of the biggest examination scandals in recent years.
