Key Takeaways

• CBI takes over NEET-UG 2026 investigation from Rajasthan Police SOG after whistleblower complaint.
• Mafia sold leaked questions disguised as guess papers for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per copy.
• Network spans Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Kerala, with arrests in Nashik and Sikar.
• Original complaint by a Sikar resident was ignored, prompting email to National Testing Agency.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday officially assumed control of the probe into the paper leak affecting the NEET-UG 2026 examination. This significant escalation follows revelations by the Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), which uncovered a sophisticated syndicate that sold confidential questions for up to Rs 25 lakh per copy across multiple states. The central agency’s intervention marks a critical turn in the investigation, as authorities dismantle a network that stretched from Rajasthan to Kerala.

The probe began to intensify after a whistleblower, whose initial complaint to local authorities in Sikar was allegedly ignored, emailed the leaked questions directly to the National Testing Agency (NTA). This tip allowed investigators to match a "guess paper" containing over 400 questions against the official exam, revealing that it held all 90 biology and 45 chemistry questions from the May 3 test, hidden among the fabricated content. The SOG confirmed that the cartel operated a vast distribution network, circulating the material from Jaipur, Sikar, and Gurgaon to Nashik and Pune.

A Nationwide Cartel Exposed

The scale of the operation is evident in the geographic spread of the suspects. A CBI team reached the SOG headquarters in Jaipur late on Tuesday to question those rounded up by the state police. The central agency registered an FIR based on a complaint from the Union education ministry's department of higher education. The charges include criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, theft, and destruction of evidence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additionally, offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, are being pursued.

Evidence suggests the primary leak did not originate in Rajasthan. IGP (SOG) Ajay Pal Lamba stated that a Haryana-based suspect obtained the paper from someone in Nashik, indicating a complex chain of distribution. In Nashik, police detained a 27-year-old from Nandgaon who had allegedly altered his appearance to evade detection. DCP Kirankumar Chavan confirmed that Nashik Police acted on a request from their Rajasthan counterparts. The suspect, identified as a third-year Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery student from MP's Sehore, was working part-time as a career counselor in Nashik. He was detained while preparing to leave the city under the pretext of a holiday, after receiving a consignment from an unidentified person and forwarding it to Gurgaon.

The financial stakes were high, with the mafia charging between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for a single copy of the leaked paper. Investigators retrieved messages distributed to students, reassuring them that memorizing the guess-paper questions would help them crack the test, even if they had not prepared adequately. This marketing strategy highlights the predatory nature of the syndicate, targeting anxious candidates with promises of guaranteed success through illicit means.

Sikar-based Rakesh Mandawaria, described as a "paper solver" and "consultant," was among the first to be questioned by the CBI. Mandawaria had been detained by the SOG on May 8 after bragging that approximately 120 questions from the guess paper he shared with clients were included in the NEET-UG exam. A coaching institute teacher subsequently filed a complaint at Sikar's Udyog Nagar police station, bringing the local operation to light. SOG officials noted that while the questions were intended for select buyers, greed likely caused someone to leak them outside the designated network, expanding the reach of the fraud.

The scope of the investigation is broad, with SOG officials stating they have questioned 150 students and 70 others so far. The agency has not formally arrested anyone yet, but the coordination between the CBI and local police forces is intensifying. The Nashik suspect is expected to be handed over to Rajasthan Police once their team arrives, while the CBI continues to coordinate with senior officials over the transfer of custody and further interrogations.

Rajasthan Authorities Struggle with Initial Leak Warning

The failure of local authorities to act on early warnings has become a focal point of the investigation. SOG sources revealed that a Sikar resident ostensibly received the guess paper on May 7 and alerted local authorities. However, this complaint was allegedly ignored, allowing the syndicate to operate further. It was only after the whistleblower emailed the National Testing Agency that the input was shared with another central agency, which then contacted the SOG. This delayed response potentially allowed the network to distribute more copies of the leaked content. As the CBI takes over, questions are being raised about the efficacy of the initial police response and the vulnerability of the exam security infrastructure. The incident underscores the urgent need for robust, multi-layered security protocols in national examinations to prevent similar cross-state conspiracies from exploiting gaps in the system.