NEET-UG leak: CBI cites conspiracy, seeks week's custody of accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought seven days’ police custody of four men arrested in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, telling a Delhi court that the medical entrance examination was compromised through the online circulation of question papers before the test.

In its remand application filed before Special Judge (CBI) Ajay Gupta, the agency said the accused — Yash Yadav, Mangilal Khatik alias Mangilal Biwal, Vikash Biwal and Dinesh Biwal — were arrested in Jaipur on 13 May.

The CBI alleged that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on 3 May, had been compromised after question papers were circulated in PDF format through WhatsApp and Telegram ahead of the examination.

The agency registered an FIR on 12 May based on a complaint lodged by Varun Bhardwaj, director of the Department of Higher Education’s NTA division.

According to the CBI, a preliminary inquiry conducted by Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) confirmed the authenticity of some of the leaked questions, prompting the government to cancel the examination.

“In April 2026, one Shubham of Nasik informed Yash Yadav that Mangilal had approached him for arranging leaked NEET-UG 2026 question papers before the examination for his younger son for Rs 10-12 lakh,” the remand application stated.

The probe agency alleged that on 29 April, Yash Yadav shared leaked Physics, Chemistry and Biology question papers in PDF format through Telegram.

According to the CBI, Mangilal allegedly procured the papers from Yadav as part of a Rs 10 lakh deal and later distributed printed copies among NEET aspirants, including his son Aman Biwal, relatives and acquaintances.

The agency further alleged that Vikash Biwal contacted several candidates and shared their details with Yadav via WhatsApp and Instagram to facilitate circulation of the leaked papers.

“On April 29, 2026, Shubham allegedly informed Yash Yadav that he would provide leaked question papers of Physics, Chemistry and Biology papers, which will have approximately 500-600 questions capable of securing very good marks and ensuring admission in reputed medical colleges,” the CBI said.

The agency told the court that incriminating chats, leaked question papers and other digital evidence had been recovered from the accused persons’ mobile phones. It added that some deleted data would require forensic examination.

Seeking custodial interrogation, the CBI argued that police custody was necessary to identify other accused persons, trace the source of the leak, analyse digital and financial trails, recover further evidence and examine the possible involvement of NTA officials.

“The arrested accused persons are required to be taken under police custody for custodial interrogation to prevent further commission of similar offences involving leakage of question papers, and to identify and apprehend other co-accused persons involved in the offence,” the agency said in its remand plea.

With PTI inputs