In a breakthrough in the widening NEET-UG 2026 paper leak investigation, police sources have revealed that the arrested Nashik student allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh to obtain the leaked examination paper through Telegram before the medical entrance test was conducted.

The accused, identified as Shubham Khairnar, was arrested by the Nashik City Crime Branch from the Indira Nagar area of Nashik based on crucial inputs shared by the Rajasthan Police.

Investigators suspect Khairnar was part of a larger interstate network involved in circulating the leaked NEET-UG paper through encrypted messaging platforms.

According to police sources, the leaked question paper was allegedly shared via Telegram channels and private groups shortly before the examination.

Officials are now probing the money trail, digital communication records, and possible links to organised rackets operating across multiple states.

Sources further claimed that Khairnar allegedly transferred around Rs 10 lakh to access the paper in advance, raising serious questions about the scale of the leak operation and the role of middlemen facilitating the transactions.

According to Nashik Police, the accused will first be handed over to Rajasthan Police for further questioning and later transferred to the CBI, which is expected to intensify the nationwide investigation into the scam.

The NEET paper leak controversy has already triggered massive outrage across the country, with students and parents demanding accountability and stricter safeguards for India’s largest medical entrance examination.

Concerns over exam security, transparency, and the future of lakhs of aspirants continue to grow as more arrests and revelations emerge in the case.

Officials are also examining whether more candidates may have purchased leaked papers through Telegram or other encrypted platforms. Multiple agencies are now working to identify the masterminds behind the alleged leak network.