NEET 2026 paper leak trail widens: Rajasthan brothers, Gurugram doctor and Sikar network under scanner
NEET 2026 paper leak investigation has uncovered an alleged interstate network involving Rajasthan brothers, a Gurugram doctor and coaching-linked operators in Sikar. The CBI has launched a nationwide probe after the exam was cancelled
PTC Web Desk: The investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has revealed what officials believe is a well-organised interstate network involving brokers, coaching-linked operators and middlemen spread across multiple states.
Investigators have traced one of the key links in the case to Rajasthan’s Jamwa Ramgarh, where two brothers, Mangilal Biwal and Dinesh Biwal, allegedly purchased the NEET question paper from a doctor based in Gurugram for Rs 30 lakh nearly a week before the examination.
According to investigators, the paper was first shared within the family and later circulated among medical aspirants through a wider network operating out of Rajasthan’s Sikar district, which is emerging as the central hub of the alleged leak racket.
Officials probing the case suspect the question paper may have originated from a printing facility in Nashik before moving through a chain of intermediaries and eventually reaching Rajasthan through Haryana.
Sources associated with the investigation said one of the brothers allegedly handed over the paper to his son, who was preparing for the medical entrance examination in Sikar. Within days, the paper was reportedly sold to multiple individuals.
The investigation further points to the involvement of an MBBS counselling agent identified as Rakesh Kumar Mandawaria, who allegedly received the paper in Sikar and distributed it further through local contacts.
Police sources claim the paper eventually reached a medical student studying in Kerala, who allegedly forwarded the document to his father in Sikar a day before the examination. The father, who operated a paying guest accommodation facility, is accused of circulating the paper among students staying at the hostel.
Investigators have also found evidence suggesting that WhatsApp and Telegram groups were actively used to distribute the leaked paper among students and coaching circles.
The alleged network is believed to have expanded beyond Rajasthan, with investigators tracing possible links to Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Kerala and Uttarakhand.
Rakesh Kumar Mandawaria, who was arrested from Dehradun, is suspected to have distributed the paper to hundreds of students. Officials are also examining claims that printed copies of the leaked paper were sold in several locations.
Meanwhile, another accused, Yash Yadav from Haryana, has also been arrested for allegedly selling the paper.
The role of the Gurugram-based doctor is now under intense scrutiny. However, Indian Medical Association Gurugram president Dr Rajesh Kataria said no investigating agency had formally approached the medical body regarding the doctor allegedly linked to the case.
Investigators were also surprised to discover that some of the accused allegedly knew nearly a month in advance that the NEET paper could be leaked. Officials are examining the broader network and possible political connections linked to some suspects.
The controversy has triggered nationwide outrage after the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 was officially cancelled amid allegations of widespread malpractice.
The National Testing Agency said fresh examination dates would be announced within the next seven to 10 days. The cancellation has sparked protests among students and parents, many of whom have questioned the credibility of the examination process.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has now registered an FIR under multiple provisions, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, destruction of evidence, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examination Prevention of Unfair Means Act, 2024.
Multiple CBI teams have been deployed across states to gather evidence and coordinate with the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group, which had earlier claimed that a leaked “guess paper” circulating before the examination reportedly matched a significant portion of the actual question paper.
In Nashik, one person has already been detained in connection with the case, while further arrests are expected as the investigation deepens.