NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak Case Sparks Arrest in Nashik

• NEET UG 2026 paper leak leads to Nashik arrest
• Nashik suspect allegedly tried to escape police surveillance
• NEET cancellation affects lakhs of medical aspirants nationwide

The investigation into the NEET UG 2026 paper leak gathered momentum after Maharashtra Police arrested a suspect from Nashik district in connection with the controversial case. The arrest came shortly after the National Testing Agency cancelled the nationwide medical entrance examination over serious allegations of question paper leakage.

According to police officials, the accused belongs to Nandgaon village in Nashik and is currently studying BAMS. Authorities revealed that the Rajasthan Police had contacted Nashik Police seeking assistance in tracing the suspect linked to the examination scandal.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Kiran Kumar Chavan said the Crime Branch acted immediately after receiving the request. Investigators reportedly used surveillance inputs and technical evidence to locate the accused, who had allegedly altered his appearance to avoid identification and arrest.

Officials confirmed that the suspect has been taken into custody and will be handed over to the Rajasthan Police team after further formalities. The case has now become one of the biggest education related controversies in the country this year.

The cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination has triggered widespread concern among students and parents, as lakhs of aspirants were preparing for the medical entrance test scheduled this month. The central government has already ordered a CBI inquiry into the matter.

This is not the first time the NEET examination has faced allegations of paper leakage. A similar controversy had surfaced in 2024, but the exam was not cancelled at that time due to lack of evidence pointing to a nationwide organised leak.

Political leaders in Maharashtra strongly reacted to the latest developments. Rohit Pawar criticised the handling of the issue and stated that students across the country were suffering because of repeated failures in preventing exam leaks. He also claimed earlier demands for stricter anti paper leak laws were ignored despite repeated appeals.

Another opposition leader, Rohini Khadse alleged that several questions from a circulated guess paper reportedly matched the final NEET examination paper. She demanded strict punishment against everyone involved and called for accountability from the Education Ministry.

Parents and education activists also expressed frustration over recurring examination scandals. Mumbai based parent representative Sudha Shenoy alleged that massive financial interests linked to private coaching institutions were contributing to repeated paper leak incidents, affecting the future of genuine students across India.