Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], May 12 : Acting on a request from Rajasthan Police, Nashik Police have detained a man in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination, officials said on Tuesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kiran Kumar Chauhan confirmed the action, stating that the accused was taken into custody by the Nashik Crime Branch Unit 2 following inputs received from Rajasthan authorities.
"A request from the Rajasthan Police was received this morning for taking an individual into custody in connection with the NEET exam matter. Accordingly, Nashik Police Crime Branch Unit 2 has nabbed a man. Rajasthan Police team is about to arrive here to take custody of the accused," Chauhan told the media.
Police officials said the detention is linked to an investigation being carried out by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) into alleged malpractice in the NEET-UG examination.
According to officials, investigators are examining claims related to a "guess paper" containing around 410 questions, of which nearly 120 questions are alleged to have matched the Chemistry section of the actual examination.
Earlier, Rajasthan Additional Director General of Police Vishal Bansal said the document is suspected to have been in circulation among students weeks before the exam.
Meanwhile, amid allegations of a paper leak and examination irregularities, the Centre on Tuesday cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 and announced that the examination would be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately.
The Government also referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive probe into the allegations.
In a statement, the National Testing Agency said the decision was taken after inputs were examined in coordination with central agencies, and findings shared by law enforcement agencies raised concerns over the integrity of the examination process.
The agency clarified that the registration data, candidature details and examination centres chosen by candidates for the May 2026 cycle would remain valid for the re-test. No fresh registration will be required, and no additional fee will be charged.
NEET-UG, the single entrance examination for admission to MBBS, BDS and other undergraduate medical courses across India, was conducted on May 3 in pen-and-paper mode across more than 5,400 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. Around 22.79 lakh students appeared for the examination.