NEET 2026 paper leak: CBI may turn Latur's coaching institute's founder's ward as star witness

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is considering turning the minor ward of a Latur-based coaching institute founder into 'star witness' in the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case.

This comes after the accused's son, who appeared for the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3, during interrogation reportedly told investigators that his father had arranged the question paper for him nearly 10 days before the test. He also said that the question paper he received in advance involved subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

Following these admissions, the agency is currently seeking legal opinion to make them him the star witness in the case and is corroborating the statements with documentary and digital evidence.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the agency arrested the Latur based Coaching Institute founder and director after being involved in an organised gang that leaked and distributed NEET question papers and answers before the exam. The agency claimed he received the leaked Chemistry/other subject questions before the exam and shared them further with others. Searches at his coaching institute reportedly led to recovery of a question bank matching actual NEET questions.

The accused, popularly known as "M Sir”, is a prominent chemistry teacher and founder of the coaching institute in Latur, Maharashtra. He has over 68,000 followers on Instagram and maintains a presence across YouTube, WhatsApp, and his own app on the Play Store. The institute reportedly operates nine branches, with its main centre in Latur, and enrolls around 40,000 students every year.

In its remand application filed in a Delhi court, the CBI had said the leaked questions were found on the phone of the coaching institute founder.

"He distributed copies of the leaked papers and answer sheets to multiple persons. There is a video where he is seen in his coaching centre saying that the questions which he gave to the students were there in the final question paper. His links with co-accused *** are under investigation,” the agency had told the court as per Indian Express media report.

Kulkarni is the retired Chemistry teacher who was “associated with NTA” and arrested from Pune. The CBI has arrested two other teachers in the case.

Also read- CBI arrests Latur coaching centre owner in NEET paper leak case