NEET 2026 leak probe deepens as CBI, Rajasthan Police detain 16 across multi-state network

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the CBI and Rajasthan Police have jointly gathered crucial information connected to the suspected leak operation. Rajasthan Police have reportedly been instructed to secure the custody of several key suspects as investigators attempt to piece together the chain of communication and distribution.

The investigation into the alleged NEET 2026 paper leak has widened significantly, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Rajasthan Police stepping up coordinated operations across several states to uncover what investigators suspect could be a far-reaching inter-state racket. In the latest phase of the probe, arrests and detentions have been carried out in multiple locations, with officials focusing on tracing the alleged network involved in leaking and circulating examination material linked to the national medical entrance test.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the CBI and Rajasthan Police have jointly gathered crucial information connected to the suspected leak operation. Rajasthan Police have reportedly been instructed to secure the custody of several key suspects as investigators attempt to piece together the chain of communication and distribution.

So far, 16 people from different parts of the country are believed to be in custody. Officials indicated that further arrests are likely as the probe expands and more links emerge.

In Maharashtra, two individuals were detained from the Indiranagar area. Among them is reportedly a 30-year-old Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student who had been pursuing studies outside the state.

Investigators are also examining connections stretching from Nashik to Haryana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, raising suspicions of a coordinated network operating across state borders. Sources claimed that leaked examination material may have been circulated through contacts in Nashik, although no immediate raid was conducted there during the initial stages of the operation. One of the accused is said to be from Nandgaon in Maharashtra.

The Nashik City Police detained a suspect following directions issued by state authorities. Officials said information linked to the individual was received at approximately 9.15 pm, after which surveillance and verification procedures were initiated. The suspect was later taken into custody around noon the following day.

Sources said the CBI supplied Rajasthan Police with technical inputs and identification details linked to the accused. Investigators subsequently obtained and verified a photograph of the suspect during the operation.

During questioning, officials discovered that the accused had allegedly attempted to avoid detection by significantly altering his appearance. Investigators believe he cut his hair, changed his clothing and shaved his head in an effort to evade identification.

Despite those attempts, authorities said the suspect admitted his identity soon after being detained.

The investigation further revealed that at least one student may have received guidance linked to studies and examination preparation through individuals connected to the alleged network. Officials reportedly secured the accused’s mobile number, personal details, and location records as part of the technical investigation.

Sources added that the suspect was intercepted while reportedly travelling towards Dev Darshan in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, another lead has emerged from Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district, where investigators identified an additional address believed to be linked to the case. In a separate development, one more individual associated with the suspected network was reportedly taken into custody from Pune as agencies continued to widen the scope of the inquiry.

With multiple agencies now involved and investigations spreading across several states, officials believe the coming days could reveal the full scale of the alleged operation behind one of the country’s most sensitive examination controversies.

(With IANS inputs)