- An MBBS student said he exposed NEET-UG 2026 paper leak on Instagram with digital evidence
- Purported screenshots showed WhatsApp and Telegram chats selling leaked question papers
- Nine accused, including teachers, arrested so far after coaching sessions matched the leaked paper
An MBBS student who blew the whistle on Instagram on the day of the NEET-UG that the question paper had been leaked has shared with NDTV what he called incriminating digital evidence left behind by the "paper mafia."
Diipak Patil, a medical student who also founded a mentorship programme called 'Rank Catalyst', had on May 3 posted on Instagram: "Very unfortunately I'm saying & declared that... Today's neet 2k26 paper is already leaked... Mass leak of paper Mark my words shame of education system of India."
He shared screenshots of WhatsApp and Telegram chats that contained what appeared to be the leaked question papers.
Patil, a resident of Maharashtra's Nanded, said students who went to a NEET-UG centre in Latur showed him evidence of the paper leak. The content of the messages in the mobile apps indicated the question paper had been sent to a select few students before the highly competitive exam for admissions into medical colleges.
"The chats clearly exposed a digital network that compromised the examination by selling and delivering the question paper to some students beforehand," Patil said.
A screen recording of a WhatsApp chat window showed a person with the username 'Private Mafia' shared a PDF file with the name 'Neet Leaked Qus Paper 2026.' Another user, Anvika, believed to be a student, replied, "Sir plz help."
'Private Mafia' responded, "Solve this paper which I posted its have chance 99.99% to come 3rd May exam. And dont msg in my inbox if you have any doubt tell in this group."
The suspected leaked paper 'provider' then opened the password-protected PDF file and scrolled through the pages. Between the pages a message was seen embedded. It said, "Never forget to Contact - l**k mafia for get upcoming gov exam papers. Face To Face Deal Available... Do not pay anyone for papers do face to face deal for more secure."
The date in the WhatsApp chat window showed the conversation happened on May 2, a day before the NEET-UG.
Another screenshot of an Instagram message with the profile name 'neetpaper26' and username 'swan.7013486' simply sent a message to another user: "Neet paper."
The message's recipient, who appeared to have no clue, asked, "Hey, kon [kaun or who]?"
'neetpaper26 ' responded: "I have brought it and reselling it to earn money back."
There are more screenshots of chat messages that point at a huge network of dealing and negotiations for fixing a price for the question paper. In one of them, the 'booking amount' is cited at Rs 30,000. After the exam, the person who took the paper has to pay Rs 70,000 more.
The conversation then goes like this: the paper would be made available on May 1 night at 11 pm in a closed WhatsApp group; if the paper turns out different, then those who bought the paper can also seek refund.
A Telegram channel called 'Rare Panel' was seen in a screenshot telling a user to join the channel for any queries on how to get the NEET-UG paper. "Money will not waste, bcz I have my own tg channel. Just join it amd get all quez there. It has 6.1k subscribers," 'Rare Panel' wrote to the user.
NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the screenshots.
To sweeten the 'deal', the paper 'mafia' thanked those who brought the leaked paper with an "all-the-best" message of sorts. On a brown paper, it was handwritten: "Thanks for purchased Neet UG 2026 question paper. Hope this paper will help you to carry a good marks in Neet 2026 exam and you will get a gov medical college."
The letter was signed off with the name in capital letters: 'MAFIA'.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) yesterday said it has identified and arrested the kingpin involved in the case. The accused identified as PV Kulkarni is a Chemistry lecturer associated with the examination process on behalf of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and allegedly had access to the NEET-UG 2026 question papers.
The CBI said its investigation revealed that during the last week of April, Kulkarni along with another accused identified as Manisha Waghmare organised special coaching classes for select students at his Pune house. A Biology teacher identified as Manisha Mandhare was arrested earlier today, taking the total number of accused arrested in the case to nine.
"During these coaching sessions, he dictated questions along with options and correct answers. The questions handwritten by students in their notebooks exactly matched the actual Chemistry paper of the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026," the CBI said.
Kulkarni, who originally belongs to Latur, was arrested in Pune after extensive interrogation, the CBI said. The case into the paper leak was filed by the CBI on May 12 following a complaint by the Department of Higher Education under the Union Education Ministry.
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