19052026-TT-01.qxd 18-05-2026 23:14 Page 1 c m y b 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 137 | 12 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 HIMACHAL PRADESH IRAN CURBS: US REACHES $275-MN SETTLEMENT WITH ADANI BUSINESS /thetribunechd HC GRANTS INTERIM BAIL TO RASHID FOR FATHER’S FUNERAL J&K BRITAIN TOWN ELECTS YOUNGEST MAYOR OF INDIAN ORIGIN WORLD DELHI HC DENIES INTERIM RELIEF TO VINESH OVER TRIAL EXCLUSION SPORT tuesday | 19 may 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com CBI nabs Latur coaching centre owner; leaked NEET paper found on his phone SC questions own verdict denying bail to Umar, Sharjeel 10th arrest in case |Probe links Rajasthan circulation chain to Pune-based paper setters Satya Prakash Manikant Mishra PARLIAMENT PANEL SUMMONS NTA CHIEF Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 18 The CBI on Sunday made the tenth arrest in the ongoing probe into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, indicating how the alleged examination fraud network expanded from Rajasthan to Maharashtra. The latest accused to be arrested is Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, founder of Renukai Chemistry Classes in Maharashtra’s Latur. He was arrested on Sunday evening after the CBI recovered a leaked NEET question paper from his mobile phone during a raid at his premises, officials said. Motegaonkar was allegedly an “active member of the organised gang” involved in the leak and circulation of the paper. His coaching centre has nine branches, including the main branch in Latur. As part of a conspiracy with other accused persons, Motegaonkar received the question paper and answers on April 23, nearly 10 days before the examination was held across the country and abroad, the CBI said in its grounds for A Delhi court has granted the CBI nine-day custody of accused Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar in the NEET paper leak case. ANI A parliamentary panel has decided to review the implementation of reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) amid the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The panel has summoned NTA chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and other bureaucrats for deliberations. The panel will seek the views of Education Ministry officials on the alleged paper leak. PRIVILEGE NOTICE AGAINST PRADHAN OVER ‘DEROGATORY’ REMARKS Congress chief whip in the Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh on Monday moved a privilege notice against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for allegedly lowering the dignity of Parliament with remarks made at a press conference on May 15 after the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. “The minister’s impugned comments clearly indicate and reveal his contempt for Parliament,” Ramesh said. arrest. The agency alleged that Motegaonkar provided copies of the leaked question papers and answer sheets to several people in the form of handwritten notes that were destroyed after the examination was held. “He is close to PV Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer, who is associated with the NTA. Searches conducted at his institute and residence resulted in the recovery of the chemistry question bank, which contained exactly the same questions that appeared in the NEET exam held on May 3,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement. The CBI said it would send the seized mobile phone for forensic analysis to recover deleted data, if any. Investigators are examining his alleged links to the wider network that the agency believes operated across multiple states. As The Tribune tracks the case, it found that the investigation first gathered pace in Rajasthan, where the Special Operations Group (SOG) initiated action following allegations that candidates had received access to the NEET paper before the examination. Early arrests and detentions focused on candidates, intermediaries and relatives allegedly involved in arranging leaked papers in exchange for money. Among the accused who later emerged in the Rajasthan probe was Mangilal Biwal. Investigators alleged that he sought leaked papers for his son in exchange for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. According to the probe, the papers were later printed and distributed among his son Aman Biwal, relatives and acquaintances. Investigators also linked the network to Rajasthan’s coaching ecosystem through Vikas Biwal, who allegedly knew accused Yash Yadav through a coaching institute in Sikar. When the Rajasthan Police arrived at his house in Khurampur village in Farrukhnagar on May 11 and took away Yash Yadav, locals described him as a studious boy who had scored 98 per cent in his board examinations. He had later secured a BAMS seat in Uttarkashi and was a firstyear student there. As investigators traced the alleged circulation chain, Yash Yadav came under scrutiny for allegedly sharing physics, chemistry and biology question papers in PDF format continued on page 8 Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 18 Underlining that “bail is the rule and jail is the exception” is not merely an empty statutory slogan, the Supreme Court on Monday questioned its January 5 judgment denying bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. It cited a “binding precedent” laid down by a threejudge Bench in the KA Najeeb case. While granting bail to Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, who has been under custody for more than five years in a narco-terrorism case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 probed by the NIA, a Bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed “serious reservations” about the reasoning given by a Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria in the January 5 judgment refused bail to Khalid and Imam. It said a two-judge Bench was bound to follow a judgment of a three-judge Bench. “Judicial discipline and certainty demands that Benches of smaller strength are mindful of the decisions ren- Saysbailrule,jailexception even in UAPA cases Stringentdisclosure normsforcitizenship NEW DELHI: India on Monday changed citizenship rules to introduce stringent disclosure norms for applicants in possession of passports issued by the governments of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Centre has notified the amended rules making changes in the 2009 landscape and mandating strict disclosures for applicants. BACK PAGE 13killed,20injuredin Palgharroadmishap PALGHAR: Umar Khalid ONLY 2-6% CONVICTION RATE IN UAPA CASES The SC has noted that the conviction rate in UAPA cases across India ranged between 2 per cent and 6 per cent during 2019-23. The conviction rate in J&K is barely 1 per cent, it said. dered by larger Benches and are bound to follow the same. If the smaller Benches are unable to agree with the ratio laid down by the larger Bench then the proper and the only course of action open is to make a reference to the Chief Justice of India for placing the matter for consideration by a still larger Bench.” Raising a question of judicial discipline, the Bench continued on page 8 edit: primacy of bail A tempo packed with guests heading for an engagement ceremony collided with a container trailer on Monday on the MumbaiAhmedabad highway in Maharashtra’s Palghar, killing 13 and injuring 20 others. The Chief Minister announced Rs 5 lakh each for next of kin of the deceased. — PTI Indian student dies in Chicago accident WASHINGTON: A 25-year-old Indian student died in a road accident near Chicago in the US that left six others injured. The accident took place late Saturday night on Interstate 65 highway near the city of Crown Point in Lake County of Indiana state. Media reports identified the student as Navya Gadusu. — PTI ED arrests AAP leader Singla in bank fraud case India, Norway launch ‘green strategic partnership’ Satheesan takes oath Tribune News Service Ujwal Jalali To jointly develop global solutions in clean energy, climate resilience, blue economy PM RECEIVES NORWAY’S HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOUR Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 18 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested AAP leader Deepak Singla after conducting searches at multiple locations in Delhi and Goa in connection with an alleged bank fraud-linked money laundering case. Singla, who is also the AAP’s Goa co-in-charge, was questioned for several hours before being taken into custody by the agency. The searches were carried out by the ED’s Delhi zonal office-2, officials said. ED officials said inputs had been gathered from reliable sources that Singla allegedly handled the hawala operations for fund movement for AAP between Delhi and Goa. continued on page 8 Rupee at record low of 96.20/$ as crude prices soar New Delhi, May 18 The rupee weakened further and closed at a record low of 96.20 against the US dollar on Monday, pressured by rising crude oil prices on the back of ongoing geopolitical tensions and a strong dollar. Forex traders said the global market sentiments continue to dampen amid simmering tensions between the US and Iran. Moreover, emerging market economies, including India, continue to feel the pressure of rising crude oil prices, as elevated rates increase the outflows of US dollars, along with the outflows already happening due to FPIs, traders said. At the foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 96.19, then fell further to 96.39. At the end of Monday's trading session, the rupee was quoted at 96.20, down 39 paise from its previous close. — TNS New Delhi, May 18 India and Norway on Monday elevated their ties to a “green strategic partnership”, unveiling an ambitious roadmap spanning clean energy, Arctic research, green shipping, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store in Oslo. The two sides also set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030 and accelerating investments under the IndiaEFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which envisages $100 billion investments and creation of one million jobs in India over the next 15 years. Addressing a joint press interaction after the talks, Modi described the IndiaEurope relationship as entering a “new golden era” amid rising global instability and conflicts in regions such as Ukraine and West Asia. “Today, we are elevating ■ Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday conferred with Norway’s highest civilian honour — the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit — for his contribution to advancing the India-Norway relationship and his leadership ■ The award was conferred by King Harald V of Norway at a special ceremony. This is the Prime Minister’s 32nd international honour <
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).
