Summary of this article
The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested five people in connection with the alleged NEET 2026 paper leak case.
The arrests came a day after the National Testing Agency cancelled the examination over leak allegations.
Investigators traced the alleged leak across multiple states and seized electronic devices during nationwide raids.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested 5 people across India in connection with alleged irregularities and paper leak scandal in the NEET 2026 UG examination.
The arrests were made from three different states. Three persons were arrested from Jaipur while one each was arrested from Nashik and Gurugram.
“The arrests – three from Jaipur, one from Gurugram, and one from Nashik – mark a swift crackdown following the CBI’s registration of a First Information Report (FIR) just a day earlier on May 12,” a CBI spokesperson said.
The NEET 2026 Paper Leak Scandal
These arrests come a day after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that the NEET 2026 UG exam stood cancelled. The cancellation was attributed to reports of the paper being leaked that surfaced from multiple places across the country.
In response, the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, invoked charges under various laws such as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Corruption Act; and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
According to reports, information about the alleged leak first surfaced after a group of teachers in Sikar, a major coaching hub, sent an email complaint to the National Testing Agency flagging suspected irregularities in the examination process. The NTA subsequently forwarded the complaint to the Intelligence Bureau, which directed Rajasthan Police to probe the matter.
The investigation was then taken over by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police which oversaw the preliminary inquiry and traced the movement of the question paper to Rajasthan and Maharashtra where the arrests have been made.
CBI Action
“After conducting multiple raids in targeted several locations nationwide, the CBI has seized incriminating materials and electronic devices, including mobile phones. Several other suspects are under examination, and further searches are underway based on emerging leads,” a senior officer told The Indian Express.
The CBI is undertaking comprehensive and exhaustive forensic analysis of the seized devices to uncover the larger conspiracy. The CBI is collaborating with the Rajasthan SOG on this investigation who have made 15 other arrests in relation to this case.
