2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 14, 2026 07:33 PM IST
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its crackdown on the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, arresting two more accused persons and conducting searches at 14 locations across the country in the last 24 hours.
The latest arrests bring the total number to seven since the agency registered the case on May 12, following a complaint from the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
“Special teams of the CBI have arrested Dhananjay Lokhanda from Ahilyanagar and Manisha Waghmare from Pune on Thursday,” a CBI spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added, “The CBI has launched coordinated searches and arrests as part of its ongoing investigation into the paper leak conspiracy.” The raids targeted locations linked to the accused, with evidence collection focusing on digital trails, documents and communications that allegedly facilitated the leak.
“Further details on the accused’s roles and recovered evidence are awaited as the probe continues,” the spokesperson said.
On Wednesday, the CBI had nabbed five individuals – three from Jaipur, one from Gurugram, and one from Nashik.
The case stems from serious allegations of irregularities in the prestigious medical entrance exam, raising concerns over the integrity of one of India’s most competitive tests.
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The NEET UG-2026 exam, conducted earlier this month for over 20 lakh medical aspirants, has been under scrutiny after reports of question paper leaks surfaced in Rajasthan and other states.
Currently, forensic and technical analysis of seized devices is on, with the CBI vowing a “comprehensive, impartial, and professional” investigation to uncover the full conspiracy.
In the FIR, the complainant has alleged that prior to the examination, certain documents related to the question papers were circulated without authorisation, raising serious concerns about a potential breach in the examination process. “The NTA had received inputs pointing to the circulation of some documents linked to the exam, prompting an internal review before the matter was escalated to central authorities,” the complainant alleged.
