Fall of Latur’s ‘M Sir’

How CBI breached Shivraj Motegaonkar’s unscathed coaching empire

Mumbai: For over two decades, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, affectionately and fearfully known as “M Sir” across Maharashtra’s education hubs, built an empire that seemed untouchable. Today, that aura of invincibility was shattered when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formally arrested him in connection with the nationwide NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, following a grueling 11-hour interrogation and a raid that recovered leaked exam materials directly from his mobile phone.

Motegaonkar is the founder of Renukai Chemistry Classes (RCC), a coaching juggernaut that generates an estimated Rs 100 crore in annual turnover and enrolls upwards of 40,000 students across multiple branches in Maharashtra. But his rise from a humble farmer’s son who cycled across Latur to give private tuitions in the late 1990s, to a coaching baron wielding immense influence, is a story steeped in power, politics, and a history of dancing on the edge of controversy.

Political Linkages

Over the past three decades, Latur transformed from a drought-prone district into the “Coaching Capital of Maharashtra.” Behind this transformation was the ‘Latur Pattern,’ an educational model heavily backed by local politicians across party lines—from the Congress stalwarts who historically controlled the region to the BJP and NCP leaders who later sought a piece of the pie.

Motegaonkar’s RCC institute was at the very heart of this ecosystem. While he rarely took a public political stance, his deep-rooted political linkages were an open secret. During the recent assembly elections he openly campaigned for Amit Deshmukh and was seen with the MLA son of the former Maharashtra CM in public rallies. However, his name is linked with almost every MLA and MP from Latur over past two decades. Elected representatives, municipal corporators, and state-level ministers were frequent chief guests at RCC’s mega-felicitation ceremonies. These connections served a dual purpose: they provided his empire with the bureaucratic lubrication needed to rapidly expand infrastructure across seven districts, and they formed a protective shield whenever whispers of malpractice surfaced. As a major employment generator and an economic anchor for Latur’s hostel, mess, and real estate businesses, Motegaonkar had the silent backing of the local political machinery, rendering him effectively immune to local police scrutiny.

Emerging Unscathed

Before the catastrophic NEET 2026 leak, Motegaonkar and RCC had faced multiple localised controversies, yet he emerged unscathed every time.

In the highly competitive and cutthroat coaching industry, rivals frequently leveled allegations of poaching top students, circulating unauthorised “guess papers,” and colluding with college administrations to monopolize admissions. There were instances in the past where complaints were filed regarding aggressive marketing tactics and the mysterious accuracy of RCC’s preliminary exam papers, which mirrored state board or entrance tests a little too closely.

Yet, these local complaints rarely materialized into strict First Information Reports (FIRs) or legal indictments. Whenever local authorities or rival coaching centers tried to corner him, his political patrons and a formidable legal team would step in. Investigations would stall at the preliminary inquiry stage, witnesses would retract statements, and the narrative would quickly shift back to his undeniable track record of producing top-ranking doctors and engineers. He built a reputation as the “Teflon Man” of Latur’s education sector—no controversy could stick to him.

The Downfall

Motegaonkar’s luck finally ran out when the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak escalated into a national scandal, pulling it out of the jurisdiction of local Latur authorities and into the hands of the CBI.

The investigation revealed that a mock test conducted by RCC contained over 40 questions that exactly matched the actual NEET examination on May 3. Motegaonkar had even confidently posted a video asking his students how many questions from his mock test appeared in the real exam.

On Sunday, a CBI team swooped into Latur, raided the RCC headquarters in Shivnagar, and seized laptops, iPads, and mobile phones. According to the agency, forensic analysis of Motegaonkar’s phone revealed copies of the leaked NEET question papers and answer keys, which he had allegedly received days before the exam and circulated.

The arrest of “M Sir” marks a watershed moment for the Indian coaching industry.