NEET-UG Paper Leak: Arrest Made as Investigators Trace Alleged Cash-for-Paper Network

A BAMS student's arrest in Nashik ties to the NEET-UG paper leak, with authorities pursuing digital channels and interstate connections. The CBI has taken over the case to identify accomplices and the flow of leaked content, including a Rs 10 lakh payment for access.

Updated: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 21:05 [IST]

A Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student has been arrested in Maharashtra’s Nashik for an alleged role in the 2026 NEET-UG question paper leak. Investigators said the student is linked to a “guess paper” that matched the leaked exam, placing the arrest at the centre of the unfolding scandal.

The student has been identified as Shubham Khairnar, who has been detained by the Nashik Crime Branch. According to police sources, Khairnar allegedly obtained the question paper via Telegram. Khairnar then allegedly resold the material to a buyer based in Haryana after paying a large sum.

AI Summary

AI-generated summary, reviewed by editors

BAMS student Shubham Khairnar was arrested in Nashik for allegedly obtaining the 2026 NEET-UG question paper via Telegram and reselling it, shifting the probe's focus to digital channels and interstate links as the CBI takes custody.

NEET-UG paper leak investigation expands beyond Nashik

Sources said Khairnar allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh for access to the leaked “guess paper”. The payment details are now part of the wider investigation. Officials are checking whether this transaction links to a larger network that may have circulated the NEET-UG paper across states before the examination.

As scrutiny increases, four Central Bureau of Investigation teams have arrived in Nashik to take custody of Khairnar. The CBI has been officially assigned the NEET-UG paper leak case. The agency is expected to question Khairnar on possible accomplices, digital communication, and any role of intermediaries involved in sharing exam content.

Nashik, Maharashtra: In the NEET UG Exam paper leak case, a four-member team of the CBI reached the Crime Branch Unit-2 office at Pathardi Phata in Nashik to take accused Shubham Khairnar into custody. pic.twitter.com/wRpC3tI1BT
— IANS (@ians_india) May 12, 2026

Police sources now say the new evidence weakens the earlier suspicion that the NEET-UG paper leaked directly from a Nashik printing press. Investigators believe the exam paper was not printed at that facility. The latest arrest has shifted focus towards digital channels and interstate links within the NEET-UG leak probe.