Who is Shubham Khairnar? Nashik man held in NEET 2026 paper leak case - ‘Sold guess paper for ₹15 lakh’
Shubham Khairnar was picked up from the Indiranagar area of Nashik, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Kirankumar Chauhan, following a request from the Rajasthan Police.
A day after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET 2026 after its question paper leaked, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) detained a man in connection with the NEET 2026 paper leak case. The man has been identified as Shubham Khairnar.
The crime branch unit 2 of Nashik Police detained 30-year-old Shubham Khairnar from Nashik district in Maharashtra. As per reports, Shubham Khairnar is a resident of Nandgaon in the district.
He was picked up from the Indiranagar area of the city, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Kirankumar Chauhan, following a request from the Rajasthan Police.
Who is Shubham Khairnar?
Quick answers to key questions
Shubham Khairnar is a 30-year-old BAMS student from Nashik, Maharashtra. He was detained by the Nashik Police in connection with the NEET 2026 paper leak case. Reports suggest he allegedly bought a 'guess paper' for ₹10 lakh and sold it to aspirants for ₹15 lakh.
The NTA clarified that the entire question paper was not circulated on Telegram or other platforms. The issue involved a limited set of questions that appeared in a circulating 'guess paper' and matched portions of the actual examination.
No, students will not need to register again for the NEET 2026 re-examination. Their existing registration details, candidature information, and examination centre preferences will remain valid.
The NTA has stated that the schedule and dates for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination will be announced within the next seven to ten days. The aim is to conduct the exam as soon as possible to avoid disrupting the academic calendar.
The investigation, involving Rajasthan Police and SOG teams, traced the suspected movement of the question paper from Haryana to Nashik, Maharashtra. This information led to the detention of Shubham Khairnar from Nashik.
Shubham Khairnar, according to a report, is a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student. He's a resident of Nandgaon in Nashik. To avoid arrest, Shubham had cropped his hair short in an attempt to change his appearance, but the police identified and apprehended him by matching his looks with older photographs.
He was reportedly on his way to a temple when he was arrested.
The leaked NEET 2026 question paper was circulated as ‘guess paper’ and had extraordinary similarities to the actual exam question paper. Reports suggested that Shubham Khairnar bought the ‘guess paper’ for ₹10 lakh and sold it to aspirants for ₹15 lakh, earning ₹5 lakh from each deal.
In the NEET 2026 ‘guess paper’ that was circulating, 45 questions of Chemistry and 90 questions of Biology were found to be a perfect match.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police has informed that the NEET UG paper leak case suggests a multi-state link spanning Maharashtra, Haryana and Rajasthan.
IG, SOG Rajasthan Ajay Pal Lamba said coordinated questioning across multiple districts led investigators to trace the suspected movement of the question paper before the exam.
“Based on input received by the police, Sikar Police, Jhunjhunu Police, Alwar Police, Jaipur City Police, Jaipur Rural Police and SOG teams together questioned individuals who were suspected of receiving the NEET-UG 2026 paper. After questioning more than 150 aspirants, their friends and their parents, it became clear that the paper was sent to Rajasthan, before the exams, by a resident of Haryana,” IG Lamba said.
He added that further interrogation led investigators to Maharashtra.
"Upon questioning, it was found that the paper came from Nashik, Maharashtra. After this information was shared with the NTA, the Government of India ordered the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam. The CBI has taken over the case," he said. Shubham Khairnar was also detained from Nashik.
(With agency inputs)
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