In a major breakthrough in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scandal, Shubham Khairnar, a 30-year-old Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student, was arrested in Nashik, Maharashtra, by Unit 2 of the Nashik Crime Branch following critical intelligence shared by the Rajasthan Police about his involvement.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has since taken him into formal custody.
Who Is Shubham Khairnar?
Khairnar resided with his family in the Indiranagar locality of Nashik, with origins tracing back to Nandgaon taluka in the district.
He was apprehended around midday on Tuesday while reportedly travelling to a temple for prayers. In an attempt to evade detection, he had allegedly altered his appearance by cutting his hair, but police identified him by cross-referencing his current look with older photographs and utilising technical surveillance data.
The Rs 10 Lakh Deal — Buy, Sell, Profit
Investigators revealed that Khairnar purchased a "guess paper" for Rs 10 lakh from a Pune-based suspect and resold it for Rs 15 lakh to a buyer in Haryana, netting a Rs 5 lakh profit, said reports. The transaction and delivery of the document were reportedly conducted through an unknown encrypted messenger application.
Additionally, the NEET question papers weren't scanned through mobile cameras to avoid detection, the sources told NDTV. Criminals used high-definition portable scanners and then distributed the scanned copies through instant-messaging mobile applications like Telegram and WhatsApp.
ALSO READ: CBI Registers FIR In Alleged NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak Case
The Larger Network — Mastermind and Distributor
Investigators have identified Manish Yadav as the alleged mastermind behind the operation, while Rakesh Mandawariya is accused of distributing the leaked paper — both reportedly detained by the Rajasthan SOG, with Manish Yadav taken into custody from Jaipur. In total police has arrested 15 people so far, including Manish Yadav and Rakesh Mandwaria.
A senior Rajasthan SOG officer stated, "We believe that the paper had been leaked from a printing press in Nashik. It could be a well-organised nationwide network involving paper solvers and impersonators."
A senior SOG official told Hindustan Times that their investigation revealed a network of at least 45 persons spread across Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, who provided the ‘guess' paper to NEET aspirants.
“When we started the investigation, we found a WhatsApp group ‘Private Mafia' where the paper was widely circulated. However it is limited to some paid members. This payment ranged over Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000. Many people bought the ‘guess' paper from this group while many also forwarded it to several others for free. We are trying to gather data on how many people accessed to the guess paper,” he said.
ALSO READ: NEET UG 2026 Row: 'Mastermind' Behind Paper Leak Arrested; What We Know So Far
The 'Guess Paper' — How Close Was the Match?
As per reports, the hand written ‘guess' paper matched 120 of the 150 questions for biology and chemistry from the original paper. The same was sold to employees in paying guest hostels for NEET students and coaching centres. The guess paper contained 410 questions with answers.
Sources cited by multiple reports, say a hard copy of the paper was sent from Nashik to Haryana too, where it was copied and further distributed. The material was reportedly available in coaching centres in Sikar, Rajasthan, up to a month before the exam.
The Rajasthan police also questioned a Sikar coaching centre counsellor, who allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to buy the guess paper and sold it to NEET aspirants through WhatsApp.
Exam Cancelled, CBI Probe Ordered
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination, which was held on May 3 with over 22 lakh students appearing, and the Centre has ordered a CBI probe into the matter.
The investigation is underway in the case.
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