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Shivraj Motegaonkar, founder of Renukai Career Centre, one of Maharashtra’s largest NEET & JEE coaching networks, allegedly circulated copies of the leaked paper to several people
Shivraj Motegaonkar, founder of Renukai Career Centre (right); students protest against the paper leak.
The CBI’s widening probe into the NEET-UG paper leak case has now zeroed in on a prominent coaching entrepreneur from Maharashtra’s Latur, with investigators suspecting that the examination paper may have been leaked through his mobile phone, sources told News18.
At the centre of the investigation is Shivraj Motegaonkar, popularly known among students as “M Sir”, founder of Renukai Career Centre (RCC), one of Maharashtra’s largest NEET and JEE coaching networks.
According to CBI sources, investigators believe Motegaonkar may have gained access to the NEET-UG question paper nearly 10 days before the examination and allegedly circulated copies to multiple individuals, including an accused identified as Vivek Patil.
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The agency is now conducting forensic analysis of electronic devices seized during searches at RCC-linked premises, including mobile phones, laptops, iPads and digital storage systems, to establish how the paper may have been accessed and distributed.
From Chemistry Teacher to Coaching Empire
Motegaonkar built RCC into a major coaching brand across Maharashtra, developing a reputation as a successful chemistry teacher and education entrepreneur. The coaching network reportedly caters to nearly 40,000 students annually through centres spread across several districts.
But investigators are now examining whether elements within the coaching ecosystem may have had access to confidential examination material through alleged links with insiders connected to the National Testing Agency’s paper-setting process.
CBI teams have already questioned Motegaonkar multiple times in Latur and Pune, with some interrogation sessions reportedly stretching for hours.
Arrests of NTA-Linked Subject Experts Intensify Probe
The investigation has also brought focus on professor PV Kulkarni, a retired chemistry faculty member from Laturwho has already been arrested in the case.
ALSO READ | 4 From One Rajasthan Family Cleared NEET Last Year. Now They’re In Spotlight Amid Leak Row
According to investigators, Kulkarni was allegedly associated with the NTA’s paper-setting process and is accused of misusing that position to leak Chemistry-related questions.
Another major arrest was that of Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a Pune-based biology lecturer. Investigators allege that she too was part of the NTA’s subject expert panel and leaked portions of the Botany and Zoology sections.
The CBI is now probing whether the accused subject experts had links with coaching institutions, middlemen or private networks involved in monetising access to the paper.
42 Questions Allegedly Matched Actual NEET Exam
The case gathered momentum after a parent filed a complaint in Latur, alleging that a mock examination conducted by RCC contained 42 questions that closely resembled questions appearing in the actual NEET-UG paper.
Investigators are now closely analysing the test series, question patterns and digital records to determine whether the similarities were coincidental or evidence of prior access to the exam.
A social media video featuring Motegaonkar has also come under scrutiny. According to investigators, the video allegedly showed him interacting with students after the examination and asking how many questions from RCC’s test series had matched the actual paper.
CBI officials are reviewing the footage as part of the larger probe to establish context and determine whether it offers further leads.
Leak May Have Been Sold for Rs 20-30 Lakh
Preliminary findings suggest the leaked paper may have been sold for massive sums ranging between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, according to sources familiar with the probe.
The investigation has now expanded beyond Latur.
In neighbouring Nanded, agencies recently conducted searches at the residence of a businessman amid suspicions that access to the paper may have been purchased through intermediaries. Officials are now attempting to piece together the alleged chain through which confidential NEET material may have moved from paper setters to intermediaries, coaching operators and finally students.
THE NEET LEAK
Just days after NEET-UG 2026 was conducted, the NTA cancelled the paper after reports of a leakaffecting more than 22 lakh aspirants across India. The government later handed over the probe to the CBI amid allegations of a nationwide “exam mafia” operating through coaching institutes, middlemen and encrypted social media channels.
The exam has been rescheduled for June 21.
Latur, India, India
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