The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at seven locations in Gujarat on Saturday, related to the NEET-UG paper leak case. Officials reported that the operation began in the morning, targeting premises of suspects in four districts: Anand, Kheda, Ahmedabad, and Godhra.

The day before, on Friday, the CBI arrested the principal and vice-principal of a school in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, along with a journalist from a Hindi newspaper, all in connection to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduates (NEET-UG) paper leak. Officials identified the arrested principal as Ehsanul Haque of Oasis School, who served as the city coordinator for the medical entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5. Vice-principal Imtiaz Alam was the NTA’s observer and the centre coordinator for Oasis School. The CBI is also questioning five additional individuals from Hazaribagh in relation to the leak.

The journalist, Jamaluddin Ansari, was arrested for allegedly attempting to assist the principal and vice-principal.

The CBI has registered six FIRs in the NEET-UG paper leak case, including one based on a reference from the Union Education Ministry and five others from various states. The probe agency has taken over one case each in Bihar and Gujarat and three in Rajasthan.

NEET-UG, administered by the NTA, is an entrance exam for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and related courses in government and private institutions. This year's exam was held on May 5 at 4,750 centres across 571 cities, including 14 international locations, with over 23 lakh candidates appearing for the test.

The first CBI FIR was lodged on June 23, following the ministry's announcement to transfer the probe into the alleged exam irregularities to the central agency.