The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that a Latur-based coaching centre owner arrested in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case paid Rs 5 lakh to obtain chemistry questions from a member of the National Testing Agency (NTA) panel responsible for preparing the examination paper.
The allegations were made before a special court on Wednesday while the agency opposed the bail plea of Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar.
According to the CBI, Motegaonkar allegedly procured the chemistry questions from P V Kulkarni, who was part of the NTA panel that framed the questions for the NEET-UG examination. The agency further claimed that Motegaonkar's son attended Kulkarni's coaching classes, where the questions were allegedly shared.
In its reply to the bail application, the CBI stated that Motegaonkar, "in conspiracy with the co-accused, procured NEET (UG) leaked chemistry questions prior to exam, and paid Rs 5 lakh for the same".
The agency alleged that Motegaonkar prepared handwritten notes based on the questions provided during Kulkarni's chemistry tutorial sessions.
During the investigation, the CBI recovered Motegaonkar's mobile phone, which it said contained 36 images, including five duplicates, featuring 132 handwritten chemistry questions.
According to the agency, 111 of those questions allegedly matched the questions included in the NTA's master question sets prepared for NEET (UG) 2026.
The CBI claimed the handwritten material was purportedly authored by Motegaonkar. It also said metadata analysis indicated that the photographs were taken nearly 10 days before the NEET (UG) examination conducted on May 3.
"Incriminating notes of chemistry questions relating to NEET UG 2026, allegedly in the handwriting of ...Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar was recovered from his mobile phone. The money allegedly paid for sourcing the leaked questions was recovered by CBI at the instance of co-accused Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure," the agency said.
The investigation has so far led to the arrest of 13 individuals, all of whom remain in judicial custody.
The National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3 after allegations of a paper leak surfaced on May 12. A fresh examination for medical admissions was subsequently held on June 21.
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