NEET 2026 paper leak: Latur coaching centre owner paid Rs 5 lakh for questions from NTA's paper setter, says CBI

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said that a Latur-based coaching centre owner, arrested in connection with the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak, paid Rs 5 lakh to obtain leaked Chemistry questions from an individual who was part of the National Testing Agency's (NTA) question-setting panel for the examination.

While opposing the accused's bail plea before a special court on Wednesday, the agency claimed that the man, in conspiracy with other accused, procured the Chemistry questions before the May 3 examination. According to the CBI, the questions were allegedly sourced through the chemistry lecturer, whose coaching classes were attended by the centre's son.

According to a recent report by PTI, the central agency told a special court on Wednesday that the Latur-based coaching centre owner, arrested by the CBI in the NEET paper leak case, had allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to procure chemistry questions from the accused lecturer, who was on the National Testing Agency (NTA) panel that set the questions for the examination.

The agency alleged that his son attended the coaching classes of the lecturer, where the questions were provided.

In its response to a bail application filed by the accused coaching centre owner, the agency alleged that he, "in conspiracy with the co-accused, procured NEET (UG) leaked chemistry questions prior to exam, and paid Rs 5 lakh for the same".

Also Read:SFI Demands NEET Abolition, Seeks Union Education Minister's Resignation

The agency said he prepared handwritten notes from the questions provided in the co-accused chemistry tutorial classes.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recovered his phone in which 36 images (five duplicate images) containing 132 handwritten questions of chemistry were found, the agency said.

It has found that 111 of these questions allegedly match with the questions in the NTA's master question sets prepared for NEET (UG) 2026, the CBI said in its response.

These were purportedly in the handwriting of the accused, it claimed, adding that metadata analysis has showed that these pictures were taken nearly 10 days before the May 3 NEET (UG) examination.

"Incriminating notes of chemistry questions relating to NEET UG 2026, allegedly in the handwriting of ...*** was recovered from his mobile phone. The money allegedly paid for sourcing the leaked questions was recovered by CBI at the instance of co-accused ***," the agency said, quotes PTI

The agency has arrested 13 persons in the case, all of whom are in judicial custody.

NEET Cancelled

The NEET UG 2026 exam was conducted on May 3 by the National Testing Agency and was held from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in pen-and-paper mode. Over 22.7 lakh aspirants appeared for the examination this year. It took place across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, covering over 5,400 centres.

However, on May 12, 2026, the NTA declared the examination held on May 3 cancelled and subsequently announced a re-examination on June 21, 2026.

This came in the backdrop of the probe by the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group, which reportedly found a “guess paper” containing more than 100 questions similar to those asked in the NEET UG examination. The question paper series under scrutiny has been described as a “guess paper” which reportedly contained around 410 questions. Out of these, nearly 120 questions are alleged to have appeared in the Biology and Chemistry sections of the examination.

In the aftermath of the exam cancellation, protests were held, with aspirants and members of the medical fraternity condemning NTA and the Education Ministry for the failure.

Due to the alleged controversy, the central government decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations. Based on the Centre's direction, the CBI registered an FIR in the case and so far arrested 13 people.

Also Read:Supreme Court rejects plea against NEET 2026 retest, says matter now infructuous