The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, 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 investigation to ten.
According to CBI sources, Motegaonkar, who reportedly operated coaching classes in Latur, played a significant role in the alleged nationwide NEET paper leak network. He was earlier detained for questioning before being formally arrested by the agency. Officials said a detailed statement regarding the arrest is expected shortly.
The development comes amid an expanding nationwide probe into the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper, which triggered widespread outrage and led to the cancellation of the May 3 examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Sunday sent NEET paper leak accused Manisha Gurunath Mandhare to 14-day custody of the CBI. Mandhare, an NTA-appointed senior Botany teacher from Pune, is suspected to be the co-mastermind behind the Biology paper leak, while Chemistry Professor P.V. Kulkarni is being treated as the alleged "kingpin" of the racket.
During proceedings at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court, the CBI informed the bench that Mandhare had expertise in translating botany and zoology question papers and had direct access to the Biology paper. The agency alleged that she conspired with other accused, including Manisha Waghmare and Shubham, and leaked questions to prospective candidates.
According to investigators, Mandhare allegedly mobilised students through Pune-based consultant Manisha Waghmare and conducted special coaching sessions at her residence, where students were reportedly asked to note down and mark important Biology questions in textbooks. The CBI claims that a majority of those questions matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper.
So far, arrests in the case have been made from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune and Ahliyanagar. Several accused are currently under police custody for detailed interrogation, while special investigation teams continue to conduct searches and gather digital and documentary evidence across the country.
Meanwhile, a fresh petition has been filed before the Supreme Court of India seeking an immediate transition of NEET-UG to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The plea argues that repeated paper leak controversies and security lapses have exposed the vulnerabilities of the existing pen-and-paper examination system.
#BREAKING: CBI has arrested Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, who ran coaching classes in Latur and is alleged to have played a key role in the NEET paper leak case, marking the tenth arrest in the investigation, according to agency sources. pic.twitter.com/rzHQ28z9sN
— IANS (@ians_india) May 18, 2026
The petition states that despite recommendations made after the NEET-UG 2024 controversy by a high-level committee headed by former ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan, the 2026 examination continued under the same physical paper-based framework involving printing, transportation and storage of confidential material.
It contends that the current system is inherently vulnerable due to dependence on physical logistics chains and multiple handling points, creating opportunities for unauthorised leaks. The petition further notes that the government has already announced plans to shift NEET-UG to a fully computer-based format from 2027, arguing there is no justification for delaying the transition after the latest controversy.
Seeking urgent intervention, the plea requests that the re-test scheduled for June 21 be conducted in CBT mode instead of the existing pen-and-paper format. It also seeks a time-bound roadmap for full digital transition, including encrypted paper transmission systems, biometric verification, AI-based surveillance and enhanced cybersecurity protocols.
The petition further seeks the replacement of the NTA with a new independent examination authority having statutory accountability, judicial oversight and stronger technological safeguards. It also calls for the formation of a high-level monitoring committee comprising retired Supreme Court judges, cybersecurity experts, educationists, forensic specialists and administrators to recommend long-term structural reforms.
Additionally, the plea has sought strict criminal prosecution and fast-track investigations against coaching centres, middlemen and officials allegedly involved in organised cheating and paper leak rackets. It also requested the CBI to submit a status report before the apex court within four weeks detailing the progress of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak investigation, including arrests, charges and prosecution developments.
