NEW DELHI: Investigative findings have shed light on the sophisticated financial nature of the local paper-sharing racket. According to authorities, Shubham Khairnar allegedly acquired the NEET-UG question paper from a primary source for a sum of Rs 10 lakh. The entire transaction—including the delivery of the sensitive document—was conducted through an unknown encrypted messenger application designed to shield the identities of those involved from traditional surveillance.
Once the document was in his possession, Khairnar reportedly sought to capitalize on the leak. He allegedly attempted to resell the paper to secondary buyers for Rs 15 lakh, aiming to pocket a quick profit of Rs 5 lakh from the illegal trade. The CBI is now focused on tracing the digital trail left by the messenger app to identify the original source of the leak and understand the full scale of the distribution network.
The Capture: Disguises and Surveillance
Khairnar, a resident of the Indiranagar locality in Nashik and a student pursuing a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S.), went to significant lengths to evade the authorities. Officials noted that the accused had allegedly altered his physical appearance, including cutting his hair, to mask his identity.
Despite these efforts, Unit 2 of the Nashik Crime Branch successfully tracked him down using a combination of technical surveillance data and manual identification.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: A four-member team of CBI arrive at Crime Branch Unit-2 office in Nashik to take custody of an accused of alleged paper leak of NEET-UG 2026 Exam, Shubham Khairnar. He was arrested by Nashik Crime Branch. pic.twitter.com/7QE7QfBmU6
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026
Khairnar was detained around midday while traveling to a temple for prayers. Police were able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing his current appearance with older photographs found during the investigation.
Investigation Scope and Next Steps
On accused Shubham Khairnar arrested in Maharashtra’s Nashik, IG, Special Operations Group (SOG), Rajasthan, Ajay Pal Lamba says, “In the questioning so far, Nashik has been found to be the origin. Further investigation will reveal more details…”
#WATCH | NEET-UG 2026 exam alleged paper leak | Jaipur: On accused Shubham Khairnar arrested in Maharashtra's Nashik, IG, Special Operations Group (SOG), Rajasthan, Ajay Pal Lamba says, "In the questioning so far, Nashik has been found to be the origin. Further investigation will… pic.twitter.com/02jIXy9syH
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026
While the arrest was a major success for the Nashik Crime Branch and the CBI, officials clarified that there is currently no evidence to suggest that the leaked papers were distributed directly from the city of Nashik itself. Instead, Khairnar appears to have functioned as a link in a much larger, multi-state chain.
The CBI’s interrogation is now centered on identifying other intermediaries who facilitated the movement of the paper, as well as the candidates who may have accessed the illicit material to gain an unfair advantage in the national examination. The agency remains committed to uncovering the original source that compromised the NEET-UG 2026 papers, as the digital forensics team works to decrypt the communications used in the ₹10 lakh purchase.
