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Hyderabad: The Saudi Arabian Telugu Association (SATA) has written to the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking clarity over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) re-exam after concerns raised by expatriate students.

The association urged the NTA to conduct a thorough investigation into the NEET UG 2026 paper leak. According to SATA, expatriate students flew down to India to appear for the exam on May 3.

Now, with the paper leak case, there is a lot of uncertainty and stress among the community.

The association said that some students had also relocated to India to pursue their graduation. It reiterated its long-standing demand for additional overseas examination centres in Saudi Arabia.

“Currently, Riyadh is the only NEET examination centre in the country, forcing students from the Western Province to travel nearly 1,000 kilometres to appear for the exam. It causes financial burden and emotional stress for students and their families,” read a statement from SATA.

Based on reports that the NEET UG re-exam would be conducted on June 21, the association urged the NTA to allow the students, who have already returned to India, to appear for the exam at their nearest test centres.

NEET UG cancelled

On May 12, the National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET UG 2026 exam following allegations of a paper leak and irregularities. The agency has maintained that the examination was conducted under a “full security protocol”, including GPS-tracked movement of question papers, biometric verification, AI-assisted CCTV monitoring and deployment of 5G jammers.

The matter is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Who all have been arrested so far

PV Kulkarni

The CBI’s first arrest was a retired chemistry lecturer, PV Kulkarni, who had access to the NEET examination process and shared multiple-choice options with correct answers in his coaching institute. He has been identified as the “mastermind.”

Manisha Gurunath Mandhare

Manisha Gurunath Mandhare was the second person to be arrested by the central investigation agency. She is a senior Botany teacher from Pune and is believed to be a part of the NTA panel responsible for preparing the medical entrance examination papers.

Like Kulkarni, she asked students of her coaching institute to note down Botany and Zoology questions, which matched with the actual paper.

Manisha Waghmare

On May 14, CBI arrested Manisha Waghmare, who runs a beauty parlour in Pune. She was incharge of mobilising students for the coaching classes run by Mandhare and Kulkarni.

Dhananjay Lokhande 

Dhananjay Lokhande was arrested in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar over his alleged role in the NEET paper leak racket. Investigators allege that Waghmare acted as a middleman, linking students and their parents to Lokhande in exchange for money.

Shubham Khairnar and Yash Yadav

CBI took into its custody a 30-year-old Shubham Khairnar, a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), from Nashik. He allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh for the leaked paper and then sold it online for Rs 15 lakh to Yash Yadav from Haryana. The transaction and delivery of the leaked paper were allegedly conducted via an unknown encrypted messenger app.

Yadav allegedly sold it to Jaipur resident Mangilal Biwal, also known as Mangilal Khatik, for Rs 10 lakh, claiming that around 150 questions would appear in the final exam paper.

Yadav has also been arrested.

Vikas Biwal, Mangilal Biwal and Dinesh Biwal

Investigations revealed Yash Yadav’s long association with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Dinesh Biwal’s family, including his brother Mangilal and nephew Vikas.

According to investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and the CBI, Mangilal allegedly received the leaked question paper from Yash Yadav via Telegram on April 29.

Mangilal gave printed copies to his son Aman Biwal, Dinesh’s son Rishi, and Gunjan, the daughter of their elder brother Ghanshyam, all of whom appeared for the May 3 examination.

Dinesh Biwal, his brother Mangilal and Mangilal’s son Vikas were arrested last week.

Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar

The latest arrest was of Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, founder of Renukai Career Centre, Maharashtra’s leading coaching networks. He is under 10-day CBI custody.