NEET paper leak: CBI now arrests 2 in Maharashtra; total 7 nabbed so far

📌 Summary:

• CBI arrested 2 more accused — Dhananjay Lokhanda (Ahilyanagar) and Manisha Waghmare (Pune) — in the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak; total arrests now stand at 7
• Case was registered on May 12 on a complaint from the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
• 5 accused arrested earlier (3 from Jaipur, 1 from Gurgaon, 1 from Nashik) were produced before a Delhi court and sent to 7-day police custody
• Searches were conducted at 14 locations across the country in 24 hours; forensic and technical analysis of seized devices is underway
• NEET-UG 2026, taken by over 20 lakh aspirants, faced leak reports in Rajasthan and other states; NTA had received inputs on unauthorised circulation of exam-linked documents before escalating the matter

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — governance, transparency and accountability of examination bodies; integrity of public entrance/recruitment systems and the role of central investigative agencies.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• CBI registered the case on May 12, 2026
• NEET-UG is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA)
• The complaint originated from the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education

🔑 Key Term: NEET-UG — National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), the single national entrance examination for MBBS/BDS and allied medical courses, conducted by the NTA.