CBI arrests coaching centre founder
Pune/New Delhi: The CBI has arrested Maharashtra-based Renukai Career Center (RCC) director Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, alleging that he circulated leaked NEETUG 2026 questions through a “mock test” coaching network conducted before the exam, reports Geetesh Shelke, Rajashekhar Jha and K. This is the 10th arrest by the CBI, which has now widened its probe, bringing more than 60 suspected beneficiaries under investigation. The CBI detained Motegaonkar in Latur on Sunday night, interrogated him at its Pune office and took him to New Delhi on Monday after his formal arrest.Former chemistry lecturer Kulkarni is the original source name, Motegaonkar under the scannerMotegaonkar is allegedly linked to Prahlad Vitthalrao, a retired chemistry lecturer at Latur, whom investigators have described as the source of the leak. Kulkarni, who worked as a Marathi translator for the National Testing Agency (NTA) and had access to the questions, was arrested on May 15. Investigators are probing whether Kulkarni had leaked documents in previous years More than 22 lakh students across India wrote the NEET-UG on May 3 The exam was canceled on May 12 after allegations of widespread irregularities and paper leaks triggered a probe into the country’s biggest entrance exam in recent years. The CBI told a New Delhi court that Motegaonkar received the chemistry question and answer sheet on April 23, about 10 days before the exam, and circulated handwritten copies to multiple candidates and mediators. Investigators alleged that leaked questions were found on his mobile phone. “Motegaonkar appeared in a video at his coaching center and claimed that he gave the questions to the students later appeared in the final exam paper,” said a CBI officer. The agency suspected question leaks were distributed through select coaching networks operating across Maharashtra. Searches at Motegaonkar’s institute and residence have led to the seizure of a chemistry question bank that matches the questions of the NEET-UG held on May 3, officials said, while analyzing laptops, mobile phones and documents seized from five locations. The CBI said Motegaonkar ran RCC coaching centers at nine locations training NEET candidates, including the headquarters at Latur. Investigators alleged that the students paid lakhs of rupees to attend “special coaching classes” where questions expected in the exam were dictated and discussed in advance. Special CBI judge Ajay Gupta remanded Motegaonkar to nine days’ CBI custody. (Inputs from Ashish Mehta in Jaipur and Mohammad Akheef in Sambhajinagar)
