NEET Paper Leak Accused "M Sir" Bought 8-Acre Plot To Open School, College

A sprawling eight-acre plot. Big under construction buildings. Work on in full swing. Suddenly Khopegaon Shivar area near Maharashtra's Latur is in national spotlight. After the arrest of Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, the founder of Renukai Chemistry Classes (RCC), over his alleged involvement in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) paper leak, the focus is now on his grand project in Latur.

Paper Leak Accused's Grand Plans

Motegaonkar, whose coaching centre has nine branches, including the main branch in Latur, was planning to open a school and college over this eight-acre piece of land.

When NDTV team visited the site, it found a huge multi-storey building taking shape on two-and-a-half acre of the eight-acre land and is almost complete. NDTV has learnt that the paper leak accused was planning to start a school and a college here. The under-construction building is surrounded by vast empty land. The upcoming project has also raised questions on Motegaonkar's source of income and funding amid the NEET paper leak accusations and arrest.

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"Member Of Paper Leak Gang"

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested Motegaonkar on Sunday after a leaked question paper of the examination held on May 3 was recovered from his mobile phone during searches at his premises.

According to the officials, Motegaonkar was allegedly an "active member of the organised gang" involved in the leakage and circulation of the NEET UG paper, the PTI had reported after his arrest. As part of a conspiracy with other accused persons, Motegaonkar received the question paper and answers on April 23, nearly 10 days before the NEET examination was held across the country and abroad, the CBI said in its grounds for arrest.

"He is close to P V Kulkarni, chemistry lecturer, who is associated with the NTA (National Testing Agency). Searches conducted at his institute and residence resulted in the recovery of the chemistry question bank, which contained exactly the same questions that appeared in the NEET exam held on May 3," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

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So far, 10 accused have been arrested in this case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, Latur and Ahilyanagar, the statement said.

The agency had earlier arrested a chemistry lecturer, P V Kulkarni, and a biology lecturer, Manisha Mandhare, both known to each other through a woman, Manisha Waghmare, who is also in CBI custody.

(With Inputs From Vishnu Burge)