CBI Intensifies NEET Leak Investigation, Scrutiny Mounts On NTA Panel

The National Testing Agency’s paper-setting system is under sharp scrutiny after the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested two insiders in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. The “entire committee that set the paper and other senior officers of NTA are under the scanner” and, according to investigators, more arrests are likely as the probe expands.

Another CBI officer said, “This is the first time in paper leak probes we have found the source of leak at NTA.” The officer added, “Once the paper was leaked and its PDFs were out on messaging groups, there could have been hundreds of beneficiaries. We will trace all of them but first we are working on the source of the leak and their associates.”

NEET paper leak probe widens within NTA and NEET-UG 2026 system

Central investigators have accused Pune-based botany teacher Manisha Gurunath Mandhare of leaking questions weeks before the 3 May NEET-UG 2026 examination. Mandhare had been selected by NTA as a subject expert and included on the paper-setting committee, which, according to the CBI, allowed full access to confidential Botany and Zoology portions.

Mandhare’s arrest on Saturday followed the detention of retired chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni a day earlier. Kulkarni, also linked to the panel, has been described by investigators as a “kingpin” in the leak. Officials say two distinct sets of leaked material emerged from inside NTA systems, one handwritten and another typed, covering Chemistry and Biology sections.

NEET paper leak and NEET-UG 2026 coaching sessions in Pune

According to the CBI, Mandhare conducted special coaching sessions for selected aspirants at a Pune residence during April. Students allegedly reached these classes through co-accused beauty parlour owner Manisha Waghmare. The agency said, “During classes, Mandhare explained and disclosed various questions from Botany and Zoology subjects and made the students note down the same in their notebooks and also mark in their text books. Majority of these questions tallied with the actual question paper of NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3.”

Officials say Kulkarni ran similar sessions from a Pune home, where students wrote down Chemistry questions, answer options and correct responses that later “exactly tallied” with the official paper. Investigators told the Delhi court that both accused destroyed question papers after 3 May to remove proof, and that possible roles of Kulkarni and Mandhare in older examination leaks are also being checked.

NEET paper leak trail across states in NEET-UG 2026 case

The CBI has mapped how the NEET paper leak content allegedly travelled through intermediaries in several states before reaching candidates. A PDF file carrying roughly 500 to 600 questions circulated through Telegram groups. Investigators say Nashik-based Shubham Khairnar shared this material with Gurugram resident Yash Yadav, who then allegedly sold it onward.

Officials allege that Yadav passed the NEET paper leak file to Jaipur-based trader Mangilal Biwal, also known as Mangilal Khatik, for ₹10 lakh. Yadav allegedly claimed around 150 questions would match the final NEET-UG 2026 paper. Searches over the last 24 hours at six locations produced laptops, bank documents, mobile phones and other evidence that investigators link to the spread of the leaked exam material.

So far, nine suspects connected to the NEET paper leak have been arrested across five states in the NEET-UG 2026 investigation. Their details are as follows:

On Saturday, the CBI produced Kulkarni and Waghmare at the special CBI court in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue, calling them “part of an organised paper leak gang” and asking for 14 days’ custody. The court instead ordered 10 days of CBI custody. The agency stated, “CBI is committed to comprehensive, impartial and professional investigation in this case,” while continuing to monitor all NTA officials linked to NEET-UG 2026 paper-setting.

NEET-UG, which more than 22 lakh candidates sit each year for admission to medical colleges, has already seen its 3 May 2026 attempt scrapped because of the leak. The Union government has scheduled a fresh NEET-UG 2026 examination on 21 June, even as CBI officers focus on the NTA committee and potential further arrests in the NEET paper leak case.