The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed a detailed scheme explaining the NEET-UG 2026 exam leak, outlining a conspiracy involving National Testing Agency (NTA) experts and a network of brokers and coaching operators. The investigation showed that the leak developed over several months prior to the exam.
According to the CBI chargesheet, access to confidential exam questions began with NTA-appointed subject matter experts, who allegedly exploited their positions to facilitate the leak. These questions moved through multiple intermediaries before reaching candidates willing to pay for this advance access.
Agents relied heavily on digital evidence, including WhatsApp and Telegram messages, PDFs, photographs, call records, and forensic data extracted from seized devices to reconstruct the distribution chain of the leaked materials.
The investigation has highlighted that three subject experts linked to the NTA stand accused of misusing their privileged access to confidential examination content. This breach was not limited to a single individual passing information directly to candidates but extended into a broader network of corrupt practices.
Key figures in this network include Shivraj Motegaonkar from Renukai Career Centre, Tejas Harshadkumar Shah from Pune’s Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy, and Dr Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure, the owner of Siddhivinayak Hospital. These individuals allegedly played significant roles outside of the NTA.
The backbone of the CBI’s case comprises mobile data extracted from devices owned by the accused. For example, forensic examinations of Yash Yadav’s phone allegedly revealed PDF files containing the NEET-UG 2026 questions. Additionally, investigators uncovered conversations on Telegram with a contact saved as ‘AP Broker,’ later identified as co-accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar.
These communications date back to several months before the exam. Another seized device belonging to Manisha Sanjay Waghmare contained a WhatsApp group named ‘NEET 2026,’ underscoring the organized structure of this illicit scheme.
The CBI has cited these communications and digital exchanges to outline the intricate channels used by the network’s members to share exam questions. Evidence from devices owned by additional accused individuals produced chats and electronic files that reinforced the agency’s findings.
Investigators contend that individuals such as Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhananjay Lokhande, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar, and Yash Yadav acted as essential links within this deceptive distribution chain. This multi-layered structure enabled exam questions to be smuggled from those with confidential access directly to candidates desiring the material.
The CBI continues to rely on both electronic evidence and witness statements to provide a comprehensive overview of how the examination material circulated throughout this network. The revelations shed light on a concerning breach of integrity within a critical educational framework.
