Teachers, Beautician, Medical Student: Who Are The 10 People Arrested In NEET-UG Paper Leak Case?
Teachers, Beautician, Medical Student: Who Are The 10 People Arrested In NEET-UG Paper Leak Case? Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 12:03 IST Investigation
Teachers, Beautician, Medical Student: Who Are The 10 People Arrested In NEET-UG Paper Leak Case? Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 12:03 IST Investigation has uncovered a network involving teachers, middlemen, students and coaching operators spread across Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan. Who are these people arrested? NEET-UG re-exam will be held on June 21. The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case has opened a can of worms, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting 10 people so far, including professors, a beautician, medical students and a coaching institute operator, as investigators continue to trace how the examination paper was leaked and circulated. The latest arrest came on Monday when the CBI took into custody Shivraj Motegaonkar, who runs a coaching institute in Maharashtra’s Latur, 10th person to be arrested in the case. The investigation has uncovered an alleged network involving teachers, middlemen, students and coaching operators spread across Maharashtra, Haryana and Rajasthan. Who are the people arrested so far? PV Kulkarni, a retired lecturer named as ‘kingpin’ One of the first people identified by investigators as a mastermind in the case was PV Kulkarni, a retired chemistry lecturer from Maharashtra’s Latur who was working in Pune at the time of his arrest. According to investigators, Kulkarni was linked to the NEET examination process through the Testing Agency (NTA), which allegedly gave him access to sensitive material related to the examination. Officials described him as the kingpin behind the network. Investigators alleged that Kulkarni shared questions, multiple-choice answers and correct responses during special coaching sessions.
Students attending those sessions reportedly wrote down the details in notebooks. Investigators later claimed those notes matched the original NEET-UG 2026 question paper. Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, senior Botany teacher arrested Another accused identified as a mastermind is Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior Botany teacher from Pune. According to the CBI, Mandhare was part of the NTA panel responsible for preparing the medical entrance examination papers. Officials alleged that she had complete access to the Botany and Zoology sections of the examination. Investigators said she allegedly discussed several Botany and Zoology questions during coaching classes and asked students to note them down in notebooks and textbooks. The agency believes the information shared during those sessions later appeared in the actual examination paper. Manisha Waghmare, a beautician, arrested The probe also led to the arrest of Manisha Waghmare, who operates a beauty parlour in Pune. She was arrested on May 14 for allegedly helping mobilise students for coaching sessions run by Kulkarni and Mandhare. According to investigators, Waghmare acted as a link between the accused and parents willing to pay money for assured success in the highly competitive medical entrance examination. Officials say she connected students and families to other members of the alleged network in return for money. Dhananjay Lokhande, middlemen, held Dhananjay Lokhande from Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar was also arrested for his alleged involvement in the operation. Investigators claim Waghmare connected students and parents to Lokhande as part of the arrangement. Shubham Khairnar, a medical student, arrested The investigation later moved towards Nashik, where police arrested 27-year-old BAMS student Shubham Khairnar from his home in Indiranagar.
According to police sources, Lokhande allegedly sent Khairnar a packet containing the NEET question paper after Khairnar paid Rs 10 lakh for it. During interrogation, Khairnar allegedly told investigators that he later sent the question paper electronically to a person based in Gurugram, Haryana, and received Rs 15 lakh in return. Haryana and Rajasthan connections Investigators alleged that the material later reached Gurugram resident Yash Yadav. According to the probe, Yadav sold the paper to Jaipur resident Mangilal Biwal, also known as Mangilal Khatik, for Rs 10 lakh after claiming that nearly 150 questions would match the final examination paper. Yadav has also been arrested. The investigation then expanded to members of BJP worker Dinesh Biwal’s family in Rajasthan. Officials said investigators became suspicious after several members of the family secured admission to government medical colleges despite average academic records. Last week, the CBI arrested Dinesh Biwal, his brother Mangilal Biwal and Mangilal’s son Vikas. According to findings by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and the CBI, Mangilal allegedly received the leaked question paper from Yash Yadav through Telegram on April 29. Investigators alleged that Mangilal later distributed printed copies of the leaked paper to his son Aman Biwal, Dinesh’s son Rishi and their niece Gunjan, daughter of their elder brother Ghanshyam. All three reportedly appeared for the NEET examination held on May 3. Officials said Dinesh and Mangilal were previously involved in money lending and real estate businesses in Jaipur district’s Jamwa Ramgarh area. About five years ago, the family shifted to Sikar with seven children to prepare them for NEET examinations.
Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, coaching centre head held The latest arrest in the case is Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, founder of Renukai Career Centre, widely known as RCC or “Motegaonkar Sir’s classes". For nearly two decades, the coaching network has been known across Maharashtra for preparing students for medical and engineering entrance examinations. CBI officials earlier described Motegaonkar as part of an organised syndicate involved in the paper leak operation. Investigators said they recovered the NEET question paper from his mobile phone. According to officials, he allegedly received the paper on April 23, nearly 10 days before the examination was conducted on May 3. After the paper leak, NTA cancelled NEET UG 2026 which was held May 3. The re-exam will now be held on June 21 from 2 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Delhi, India, India First Published: May 19, 2026, 09:27 IST News india Teachers, Beautician, Medical Student: Who Are The 10 People Arrested In NEET-UG Paper Leak Case? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
The BriefWire