New Delhi / Latur: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Latur-based paediatrician Dr. Manoj Shirure in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, making him the first parent to be arrested in the ongoing investigation.
Officials said the doctor was taken into custody after two days of questioning. Investigators suspect that he had allegedly purchased leaked NEET question papers for his son, who appeared for the medical entrance examination this year.
According to sources, Shirure was taken to Pune on Wednesday night and is expected to be produced before a Delhi court.
Investigators claim that the accused was allegedly in contact with retired chemistry professor P. V. Kulkarni and RCC Classes founder Shivraj Motegaonkar, both of whom are already under scrutiny in the probe.
The investigation intensified after allegations surfaced that questions from the NEET-UG 2026 chemistry paper were leaked before the May 3 examination.
According to the CBI, 43 out of 45 questions in the chemistry section of the final NEET-UG 2026 paper allegedly matched questions circulated earlier through an RCC Classes “guess paper.”
Sources indicate that investigators are now probing the alleged money trail, communication records, and financial transactions linked to the procurement and circulation of leaked question papers.
Officials have also indicated that more arrests may follow as the agency examines possible links between parents, coaching operators, and intermediaries allegedly involved in the network.
The developments have triggered widespread concern in Latur, a major coaching hub known for its “Latur Pattern” model of competitive exam preparation.
DPCI Education Desk reports that the ongoing investigation has raised serious concerns regarding examination integrity, coaching centre influence, and the growing pressure surrounding competitive entrance examinations in India.
