MUMBAI: The CBI has arrested Latur-based paediatrician Dr Manoj Shirure in connection with the NEET-UGC 2026 examination paper leak scam for allegedly purchasing leaked questions for his son, who was preparing for the medical entrance test. The arrest marks the first instance of a parent being taken into custody in the widening investigation into the NEET-UGC 2026 paper leak case.
According to investigators, Dr Shirure allegedly bought the leaked question paper from Latur-based RCC Classes founder Shivraj Motegaonkar before the May 3 examination.
The scandal has exposed an alleged nexus involving coaching institutes, leaked examination material and parents desperate to secure seats for their children.
The CBI probe revealed that several influential parents allegedly paid between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh to retired chemistry professor PV Kulkarni and Motegaonkar to obtain the examination paper in advance. Dr Shirure is among them.
Investigators are also examining the roles of several other parents and students in Maharashtra suspected of involvement in procuring leaked NEET-UGC 2026 papers.
The probe further found that 43 of the 45 chemistry questions in the final NEET-UGC 2026 examination allegedly matched questions circulated earlier through RCC’s guess paper. Investigators cited a viral video in which Motegaonkar reportedly told faculty members that questions given during mock tests ten days before the examination appeared unchanged in the final paper, including numbers and formats.
The CBI alleged that Motegaonkar conducted special night classes for selected students in Latur, where handwritten question papers and answer sheets were distributed for practice. Investigators are also probing the money trail, communication records, and financial transactions linked to the alleged paper-leak network.