NEET Paper Leak Accused Gets Nod From Delhi Court To Appear For Re-NEET On June 21 From Jail

In a significant development in the NEET-UG paper leak case, a Delhi court has allowed one of the key accused, Yash Yadav, to appear for the upcoming NEET-UG 2026 re-examination despite being in judicial custody. The court observed that the right to education is a fundamental right and said that the accused should not be denied the opportunity to take the examination.

The decision comes just days before the NEET-UG re-exam, which is scheduled to be held on June 21, following the cancellation of the original examination over allegations of a question paper leak.

Court Allows Exam While Accused Remains in Jail

The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday permitted Yash Yadav to sit for the NEET-UG re-examination while remaining in judicial custody. The court noted that the National Testing Agency (NTA) had not objected to the request and had already issued the accused his admit card.

The judge observed that education is a basic right guaranteed under the Constitution and that the accused should be allowed to continue his academic journey while the legal process continues.

Right to education.

- Delhi Court grants interim bail for two days to NEET paper leak accused Yash Yadav to give re-exam on June 21 pic.twitter.com/YyXf0U64Z4

— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) June 16, 2026

However, the court did not grant him interim bail. Instead, it allowed him to appear for the examination under appropriate custody arrangements.

Yadav Had Sought Interim Bail

Yash Yadav had approached the court seeking 15 days of interim bail. He argued that he needed temporary release to prepare for and appear in the NEET-UG re-examination. He had also requested permission to attend his sister's wedding during the same period.

Earlier, on June 2, the court had already allowed his application seeking permission to keep study materials and books in jail so that he could prepare for the examination.

When the interim bail plea came up for hearing on June 12, the court postponed the matter, calling it premature because the admit card for the examination had not yet been issued. After the NTA released the admit card, the matter was heard again, leading to Tuesday's order.

Who Is Yash Yadav?

Yash Yadav is among the 13 people arrested in connection with the alleged NEET-UG paper leak case. According to investigators, he was arrested from Gurugram in Haryana after allegedly receiving the leaked examination paper from Shubham Khairnar, a 27-year-old BAMS student.

The investigation claims that Yadav later sold the leaked paper to a Jaipur resident, Mangilal Biwal, also known as Mangilal Khatik, for ₹10 lakh. Investigators have alleged that the payment agreement depended on at least 150 questions from the leaked paper matching the actual examination.

During questioning, Shubham Khairnar reportedly told investigators that he had sent the question paper electronically to Yadav and received ₹15 lakh in return.
The allegations are currently under investigation, and the accused have not been convicted in the case.

CBI Continues Probe Into the Paper Leak

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is handling the case, has continued its probe into the alleged leak network. On Monday, another Delhi court allowed the CBI to question three accused while they remain in judicial custody.

The three accused are:

• Manisha Sanjay Waghmare
• Dhanunjay Nivrutti Lokhande
• Shubham Madhukar Khairnar

According to the CBI, all three are key figures in the investigation, and further interrogation is necessary to uncover the full extent of the alleged paper leak operation.
As per the schedule approved by the court, Waghmare will be questioned on June 17, Lokhande on June 18, and Khairnar on June 19.

Judicial Custody Extended for Several Accused

The court has also extended the judicial custody of several other accused persons in the case. Those whose custody has been extended include Yash Yadav, Mangilal Khatik, Vikash Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Dhananjay Lokhande, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, Manoj Shirure, Tejas Shah and Shubham Khairnar.

The accused were produced before the court through videoconferencing during the latest hearing.

Why Is the NEET-UG Re-Exam Being Held?

The National Testing Agency cancelled the original NEET-UG 2026 examination on May 12 after allegations surfaced that the question paper had been leaked before the test. The controversy affected lakhs of students across the country and led to a large-scale investigation by central agencies.

The re-examination has been scheduled for June 21, and the NTA has already issued fresh admit cards to eligible candidates.

The case has sparked a wider debate about the security of competitive examinations in India and the need for stronger safeguards to protect the integrity of the admission process.

For now, while the investigation into the alleged paper leak continues, the Delhi court's decision has ensured that one of the accused will still be allowed to exercise his right to education by appearing for the re-examination under judicial supervision.