New Delhi/Jaipur: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested five persons and conducted searches at multiple locations across the country in the NEET UG paper leak case as protests over cancellation of the examination intensified on Wednesday and the chorus for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation grew louder.
One of the accused arrested in Jaipur claimed that influential people were being protected while ordinary people were being harassed.
During the day, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) seeking a complete overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and its replacement with a “technologically advanced and autonomous body” to restore the integrity of medical entrance exams.
The CBI arrested Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal from Jaipur, Yash Yadav from Gurugram and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik with several others suspects being quizzed in various cities and might be arrested later, officials said.
Police detained two persons, including a female beautician, from parts of Maharashtra for their alleged connection to the NEET paper leak case, officials said. Following their detention and questioning, both the accused – the woman held in Pune and a man in Ahilyanagar – were handed over to the CBI for further probe into the case.
A political blame game also erupted with the Congress and the TMC claiming some of the arrested were associated with the BJP. Several social media handles shared photographs purportedly showing Dinesh with BJP leaders and ministers from Rajasthan.
Family members of Dinesh said he and his brother were detained by police for questioning and claimed that they were being falsely implicated.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay said the paper leak and cancellation of the exam were proof of structural flaws and demanded that it be abolished and states permitted to fill seats on their own based on Class 12 marks.
He said governments of Tamil Nadu have been consistently and unanimously opposing NEET since its very inception as its introduction has severely disadvantaged the students from rural areas, government schools, Tamil medium backgrounds and socio-economically disadvantaged families.
The NEET (UG) 2026 exam for admissions in undergraduate medical courses held on May 3 was cancelled by the NTA on Tuesday amid allegations of paper leak, which is now being probed by the CBI. The cancellation of the exam has left over 22 lakh medical aspirants and their families in a lurch.
On Wednesday, protests were held at many places. Congress workers held demonstrations in several states, where they burnt effigies of Pradhan and demanded his resignation and a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
Student wings of several political parties also held protests with NSUI, IYC and AISA members demanding the resignation of Pradhan. Members of ABVP and SFI also staged protests.
Test cancellation claims Curtorim teenager’s life
Margao : In a tragic incident, a 17-year-old student allegedly died by suicide at his residence at Curtorim in South Goa, reportedly under stress, following the cancellation of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG) 2026.
Police said that they received a call late Tuesday night informing that the teenager, a native of Bengaluru, had committed suicide. On reaching the scene, police shifted the teenager to the South Goa District Hospital (SGDH) where he was declared dead.
Hegde allegedly left behind a note stating that he did not want to appear for competitive examinations again. His body has been preserved at SGDH, Margao, for further medico legal formalities. Police have registered a case of unnatural death and further investigation is in progress.
A native of Bengaluru, Hegde was studying at a higher secondary school in Margao. Sources said the boy’s father, who works as a Railway Guard, was on duty at the time of the incident, while his mother and sister were at the family’s native place.
