NEET paper leak accused took admission in MP college, but never attended classes
Investigators are probing whether arrested accused Shubham Khairnar's past enrolment at a private university in Sehore connects to the NEET-UG 2026 case. The university says he never attended classes, as agencies trace the alleged guess paper network.
The alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case has now thrown up a Madhya Pradesh link after investigators found that the arrested accused, Shubham Khairnar, had taken admission in a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course at Shri Satya Sai University in Sehore in 2021, but never attended classes afterward.
Khairnar, who was arrested from Maharashtra’s Nashik in connection with the alleged exam scam, also did not appear for examinations or participate in any university activity after enrolling, according to the university administration.
The revelation has brought Sehore under the scanner as Rajasthan Police and central agencies investigate possible links in the wider alleged paper leak network.
UNIVERSITY DISTANCES ITSELF FROM ACCUSED
The university administration, however, denied having any active connection with the accused. Vice-Chancellor Mukesh Tiwari said Khairnar took admission to the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course in 2021 but never returned to campus after enrolment.
“He neither attended classes nor appeared in examinations or participated in any university activity,” Tiwari said, adding that the institution had no further engagement with him after admission.
CBI PROBE AND ‘GUESS PAPER’ TRAIL
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has taken over the larger probe, took custody of the 30-year-old accused from Nashik after he was initially detained by the local Crime Branch.
Police sources alleged that Khairnar bought the controversial “guess paper” linked to the NEET scandal for Rs 10 lakh from a Pune-based suspect and later sold it onward to a Haryana-based buyer for Rs 15 lakh.
Investigators have also clarified that the NEET question paper was not printed in Nashik, weakening earlier suspicions that the leak originated from a printing press in the city.
HOW THE NEET ROW UNFOLDED
The NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 3 for nearly 22 lakh aspirants, was cancelled on May 12 amid mounting allegations of paper leaks and malpractice.
According to the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG), a handwritten “guess paper” recovered during the investigation partially matched the actual NEET question paper. Investigators claimed all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions asked in the exam were present in the 281-question document circulated as a “guess paper”.
Multiple arrests have been made across the country so far as central and state agencies continue their investigation into the alleged examination scam.
The alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case has now thrown up a Madhya Pradesh link after investigators found that the arrested accused, Shubham Khairnar, had taken admission in a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course at Shri Satya Sai University in Sehore in 2021, but never attended classes afterward.
Khairnar, who was arrested from Maharashtra’s Nashik in connection with the alleged exam scam, also did not appear for examinations or participate in any university activity after enrolling, according to the university administration.
The revelation has brought Sehore under the scanner as Rajasthan Police and central agencies investigate possible links in the wider alleged paper leak network.
UNIVERSITY DISTANCES ITSELF FROM ACCUSED
The university administration, however, denied having any active connection with the accused. Vice-Chancellor Mukesh Tiwari said Khairnar took admission to the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course in 2021 but never returned to campus after enrolment.
“He neither attended classes nor appeared in examinations or participated in any university activity,” Tiwari said, adding that the institution had no further engagement with him after admission.
CBI PROBE AND ‘GUESS PAPER’ TRAIL
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has taken over the larger probe, took custody of the 30-year-old accused from Nashik after he was initially detained by the local Crime Branch.
Police sources alleged that Khairnar bought the controversial “guess paper” linked to the NEET scandal for Rs 10 lakh from a Pune-based suspect and later sold it onward to a Haryana-based buyer for Rs 15 lakh.
Investigators have also clarified that the NEET question paper was not printed in Nashik, weakening earlier suspicions that the leak originated from a printing press in the city.
HOW THE NEET ROW UNFOLDED
The NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 3 for nearly 22 lakh aspirants, was cancelled on May 12 amid mounting allegations of paper leaks and malpractice.
According to the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG), a handwritten “guess paper” recovered during the investigation partially matched the actual NEET question paper. Investigators claimed all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions asked in the exam were present in the 281-question document circulated as a “guess paper”.
Multiple arrests have been made across the country so far as central and state agencies continue their investigation into the alleged examination scam.
