Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday termed the NEET paper leak as an extremely serious matter, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation and strict action against all those involved.
CM Assures Strict Action
Speaking to the media, Fadnavis said, “The police are cooperating with the CBI. We want the investigations to reach the root of the matter and every person involved must be caught and strict action taken.” He expressed gratitude to the central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) for taking the allegations seriously, stressing that hardworking students should not suffer due to irregularities like paper leaks. “Our children study so hard and any paper leak is absolutely wrong,” he added.
NTA Cancels NEET-UG 2026
The NTA cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination on May 12 following a major paper leak that originated in Nashik. The cancellation has affected over 22 lakh students across the country. The main accused, Shubham Khairnar, a 30-year-old BAMS student from Indiranagar in Nashik, has been detained by the CBI for allegedly buying the leaked paper for Rs 10 lakh and selling it for Rs 15 lakh.
Further Arrests in Pune
In a related development, Pune police detained a woman, Manisha Waghmare, from Bibwewadi, and another suspect, Dhananjay Lokhande, from Rahuri. Both have been accused of facilitating the distribution of the leaked paper, which was allegedly shared via encrypted messaging applications like Telegram. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the entire network behind the leak.
