The NEET 2026 paper was leaked on 1 May through a Telegram group named ‘Private Mafia’. Several questions in the Set Number-12 paper shared in the group were found to be identical to those in Set Number-12 of the NEET examination conducted on 3 May.
A video related to the matter has also surfaced. However, Dainik Bhaskar does not independently confirm that the paper circulated in the Telegram group was the leaked NEET question paper.
When the PDF file shared in the Telegram group was opened at around 11:30 pm on 1 May, it displayed Set Number-12. As part of the investigation, the NEET Set Number-12 question paper was retrieved and compared.
7 Arrested so far in NEET paper leak case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has so far arrested seven people in connection with the alleged NEET paper leak case.
Five accused, namely Mangi Lal Binwal from Rajasthan, his brother Dinesh Binwal from Jamwaramgarh, his son Vikas Binwal, Yash Yadav from Gurugram and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik, were produced before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court.
The court remanded all five accused to seven days of custody.
The CBI has also arrested Manisha Waghmare, a beautician from Pune, and Dhananjay Lokhande from Nashik.
A group named ‘Private Mafia’ was created for the paper leak.
Questions in allegedly leaked paper match those in NEET Exam
In question number 5 of the NEET paper, a figure is drawn to show the velocity and time for a ball going vertically upwards and coming back down. This question matches 100% in the leaked paper and the original paper. Other questions on this page also match completely.
Question number 5 in the original paper
Numbers 23 and 24 are also the same as in the private mafia’s paper. Even the question number is the same. Question number 23 states that a ray of monochromatic light is passing through a prism ABC. A photo of the prism is made with this question.
The leaked paper and the original paper have the same photo. Even all four options of the question are the same. That is, Option number 1 states 40 degrees, Option 2 states 45 degrees, Option 3 states 55 degrees, and Option 4 states 35 degrees. These same four options are also present in the leaked paper. Following this, the circuit drawn in question number 24 is also the same in the leaked paper and the original paper.
Question number-23 and 24 in the leaked paper
Question number-23 and 24 in the original paper
402 member group, password locked
The Telegram group named ‘Private Mafia’ has a total of 402 members. It was created in 2024 specifically for paper leaks. Before uploading the paper on May 1st, the admin ‘Private Mafia’ wrote in a message that “we are uploading the full paper soon.” Its password is LeakMafia@9466.
A short while after this message, the leaked paper was posted in the group at around 11:38 PM. After that, another message was written: “Solve the paper we have sent. There is a 99.99% chance that this will come in the exam.”
The password was also sent in the Telegram group.
5 accused presented in CBI court, sent to 7-day custody
In the paper leak case, CBI has so far taken Shubham Khairnar from Nashik, Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal from Jaipur, and Yash Yadav from Gurugram into custody. CBI has received 7-day custody of them.
Special Public Prosecutor Neetu Singh argued before Special CBI Judge Ajay Gupta during the hearing on Thursday that the first reason for seeking police custody is to uncover this large conspiracy because the leaked question paper was spread across the entire country. The second reason for seeking their custody is to find out the extent of the racket’s reach and how many government employees and people associated with printing presses are involved in this work.
CBI has taken 5 accused into custody in the paper leak case.
Arguments of CBI’s lawyer
- Shubham Khairnar was the first to send the paper to Yash Yadav on Telegram. This was part of his plan to send the leaked document to Mangilal.
- In April, Shubham Khairnar told Yash Yadav that Mangilal had contacted him to arrange a leaked paper for his younger son. For this, the son had spent 12 lakh rupees. On 29 April, Shubham offered to provide the leaked paper in exchange for money.
- Shubham asked Yash Yadav to submit 10th and 12th documents, NEET roll number, and a check as a security deposit. Yadav further asked his friend Yash Kakkar to collect these documents from Mangilal. It is alleged that he did not send these documents to Shubham.
- On April 29, Shubham allegedly told Yash Yadav that he would provide leaked papers for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The paper would have 500-600 questions. With their help, good marks could be obtained and admission to a good medical college could be secured.
- They did not provide the exact same questions, but rather prepared a set by combining hundreds or more questions from all subjects. This would ensure students’ admission and no one would suspect anything.
- Yash Yadav received the PDF file of the leaked paper via Telegram. A PDF file was found on his phone, which contained the same questions as the paper. The agency also found his WhatsApp chat between Shubham and Mangilal.
- Mangilal received the leaked paper from Yash Yadav on Telegram on April 29. The deal was settled for 10 lakh rupees, on the condition that 150 questions would match the original paper.
- Mangilal gave printed copies of the questions to his son Aman, cousin Rishi, and Gunjan. All of them were going to take the NEET exam. The same copies were also given to his son’s friend Vikas Biwal and acquaintance teacher Satya Narayan. These questions were shared with correct answers.
- During CBI interrogation, Mangillal’s son Vikas stated that he came into contact with Yash Yadav during coaching in Sikar. Vikas claimed that Yash Yadav could provide the NEET UG 2026 paper in exchange for money. Vikas also stated that Yash Yadav had promised to provide the paper to his younger brother Aman in exchange for money.
- Yash had allegedly also asked Vikas to arrange for some more candidates. For them, he would be given the leaked paper for free. Vikas contacted several candidates and provided their information to Yash Yadav via WhatsApp and Instagram.
- Yash Yadav had deleted important evidence from his iPhone, such as the chat history with Vikas and his father Mangilal.
