2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 13, 2026 06:34 PM IST
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested five persons and conducted searches across multiple states in connection with the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the NEET UG-2026 examination.
“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 case stems from a written complaint by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, invoking serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal conspiracy, cheating, and criminal breach of trust; the Prevention of Corruption Act; and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
“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 said, adding that the agency is collaborating with Rajasthan’s Special Operations Group (SOG), which had initiated a preliminary inquiry.
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. Forensic and technical analysis of seized devices is ongoing, with the CBI vowing a comprehensive, impartial, and professional” investigation to uncover the full conspiracy.
In the FIR, the complainant has alleges 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.
