The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was part of a well-organised, multi-state criminal conspiracy involving National Testing Agency (NTA) appointed subject experts, coaching operators, middlemen and candidates. The agency has named 13 accused in the case, including the subject experts of botany, chemistry and physics.
According to the chargesheet filed before the Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue in New Delhi on July 28, three subject experts allegedly misused their official positions to access confidential examination material and circulate it among intermediaries in exchange for large sums of money.
The agency has invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Further, the chargesheet states that the alleged paper leak was meticulously planned several months before the examination and was not a last-minute operation. Investigators reportedly recovered PDF files, photographs, question papers, chats and other documents from seized mobile phones, pen drives and digital devices.
The CBI has alleged that the leaked questions were circulated through Telegram, WhatsApp and other instant-messaging platforms several days before the examination. According to the agency, forensic analysis of the devices helped reconstruct the movement of the leaked material across the alleged network.
The investigation reportedly traced the flow of the confidential papers through a structured chain that began with NTA-appointed subject experts and extended to private coaching operators, brokers and candidates.
The chargesheet also records statements from candidates questioned during the investigation. In one instance, a candidate and her father were allegedly offered access to the NEET-UG 2026 question paper for ₹4 lakh. The offer reportedly included coaching support and offline revision classes conducted by one of the accused NTA subject experts. The CBI has traced these alleged interactions to late 2025 and early 2026, describing them as part of the broader conspiracy.
The NEET-UG 2026 examination, held on May 3, was cancelled on 12 May following allegations of a question-paper leak and other irregularities. A re-examination for all candidates was subsequently conducted on June 21.
-(with inputs from ANI)
