The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has achieved a major breakthrough in the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case by arresting the alleged mastermind and several key operators involved in the sophisticated racket. The arrests were made in a coordinated operation across Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh over the last 48 hours.
The primary accused, identified as Rakesh Ranjan alias “Chintu”, has been described by the CBI as the mastermind who orchestrated the leak through a network of corrupt officials, coaching centre operators, and intermediaries. Along with him, four kingpins — including a former employee of a printing press and two coaching centre owners — were also taken into custody. The agency recovered incriminating evidence, including question papers, answer keys, and digital devices containing leaked material from safe houses in Patna and Ranchi.
According to the CBI, the gang allegedly obtained the NEET question paper hours before the May 3, 2026 examination through insiders at a printing facility. The leaked paper was then distributed selectively to select aspirants for huge sums ranging from ₹30 lakh to ₹1 crore per candidate. The agency suspects that more than 20 candidates benefited from the leak.
The arrests come after sustained pressure from students, parents, and political parties following complaints of irregularities in the NEET UG 2026 exam. The CBI was handed over the case by the Union Education Ministry after initial probes by the Bihar Police revealed inter-state connections.
CBI officials said the accused have been produced before a special court and remanded to judicial custody. Further interrogations are underway to identify possible involvement of senior officials and additional beneficiaries. The agency has also frozen several bank accounts linked to the racket.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured that the government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations. “Those involved in compromising the future of honest students will not be spared,” he stated.
The development has brought some relief to lakhs of NEET aspirants who had raised serious concerns over the integrity of the examination. The CBI has appealed to anyone with additional information to come forward. The probe is continuing, and more arrests are expected in the coming days.