NEET-UG leak: CBI probes coaching entrepreneur known as 'M Sir'
What's the story
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a major investigation into the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-UG paper leak case. The probe is now focused on Shivraj Motegaonkar, a prominent coaching entrepreneur from Maharashtra's Latur, who is popularly known as "M Sir," News18 reported, citing sources. Motegaonkar is the founder of Renukai Career Centre (RCC), one of the largest NEET and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) coaching networks in Maharashtra.
Leak allegations
Motegaonkar suspected of distributing leaked papers
According to CBI sources, investigators suspect that Motegaonkar may have gotten hold of the NEET-UG question paper nearly 10 days before the exam. He is accused of distributing copies to several people, including an accused named Vivek Patil. The agency is now analyzing electronic devices seized during searches at RCC-linked premises, such as mobile phones and laptops, to find out how the paper was accessed and leaked.
Network reach
Investigators looking into Motegaonkar's coaching network
Motegaonkar has built RCC into a major coaching brand across Maharashtra, with nearly 40,000 students annually. However, investigators are now looking into whether people in the coaching ecosystem had access to confidential examination material through alleged connections with insiders involved in the National Testing Agency's (NTA) paper-setting process. CBI teams have questioned Motegaonkar several times in Latur and Pune as part of their investigation.
Arrests made
Arrests of key players in the education sector
The investigation has also zeroed in on Professor PV Kulkarni, a retired chemistry faculty member from Latur, who has been arrested. Kulkarni is accused of leaking Chemistry-related questions by misusing his position in the NTA's paper-setting process. Another major arrest was that of Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a Pune-based biology lecturer. She is also accused of leaking portions of the Botany and Zoology sections while being part of the NTA's subject expert panel.
Similarities discovered
Evidence gathering underway after parent complaint
The case gained traction after a parent complained that an RCC mock exam had 42 questions similar to those in the actual NEET-UG paper. Investigators are now examining test series, question patterns, and digital records for evidence of prior access to the exam. A social media video featuring Motegaonkar is also under scrutiny as it allegedly shows him asking students about matches between RCC's test series and the actual paper.
Exam rescheduled
Preliminary findings indicate leaked paper sold for huge amounts
Preliminary findings indicate that the leaked paper may have been sold for huge amounts between ₹20 lakh and ₹30 lakh. The investigation has now extended beyond Latur with recent searches in Nanded, where a businessman's residence was searched over suspicions of purchased access through intermediaries. Just days after NEET-UG 2026 was held, the NTA canceled the paper due to leak reports affecting over 22 lakh aspirants across India.