NEET UG 2026 paper leak: CBI chargesheets 3 NTA subject experts as public servants; may face life sentence, fine of Rs 10 crores, if proven guilty

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has chargesheeted three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts engaged in setting the NEET UG 2026 examination paper, alleging criminal breach of trust as public servants and other offences in connection with the alleged paper leak case.

The chargesheet names Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, Prahalad Kulkarni and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar. The agency has invoked Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, relating to criminal breach of trust by a public servant, provisions of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and other provisions of the BNS.

According to the CBI, conviction under Section 316(5) of the BNS carries punishment of life imprisonment or imprisonment up to 10 years along with a fine. The agency further stated that offences under Section 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 carry punishment of seven to 10 years’ imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 10 crore, if proved.

#WATCH | NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case | CBI brought the accused Manisha Mandhare to the Rouse Avenue court to produce her before the CBI Judge.

A key accused, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a Senior Botany Teacher from Pune, has been arrested in Delhi after thorough interrogation… pic.twitter.com/ezqrdVcSZd

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2026

The CBI has charge-sheeted Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, under Section 316(5) of BNS, 2023, alleging that as a public servant/subject expert for NEET UG 2026, she committed criminal breach of trust by removing NTA’s proprietary confidential material from its premises. The confidential question material entrusted to her constituted property of NTA.

Further, under Section 317(2) of BNS, 2023 for dishonestly received leaked physics questions from co-accused Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, knowing that it was property obtained through criminal breach of trust from NTA, and retained them.

According to the chargesheet, Mandhare has also been booked under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly dishonestly misappropriating confidential NTA question papers for monetary gain.

The CBI has further invoked Section 10 read with Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, alleging that she leaked confidential questions, colluded with others and provided leaked material and unauthorised tutoring to candidates before the examination.

Section 11 of the Act has also been invoked for her alleged involvement in organised criminal activity relating to the public examination.

#WATCH | NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case | Accused Prahalad Kulkarni and Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar brought to Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/Y91GWHvDXB

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2026

Prahalad Kulkarni has been chargesheeted under Section 238 of the BNS, with the CBI alleging that he intentionally destroyed original question notes supplied to candidates after becoming aware of the offence. He has also been booked under Section 316(5) of the BNS on allegations that he removed confidential NTA question material entrusted to him as a subject expert.

The agency further alleged that Kulkarni dishonestly misappropriated confidential question papers for monetary gain. CBI has further invoked Section 10 read with Sections 3, 4 and 5, as well as Section 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, alleging that he leaked questions, colluded with others, facilitated unauthorised tutoring and participated in organised criminal activity.

The third subject expert, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, has also been chargesheeted under Section 238 of the BNS on allegations that she intentionally destroyed original question notes shared with co-accused persons and candidates after becoming aware of the offence.

Pune-based Physics lecturer and NTA expert
Manisha Sanjay Havaldar has been remanded to 6 days of CBI custody by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court.
CBI investigations reveal she allegedly took a copy of the Physics question paper, shared it with co-accused Manisha Mandhare, and the… pic.twitter.com/xcFio7i6cm

— MajorSammerToor (@MajorSammerToor) July 24, 2026

The CBI has further booked Havaldar under Section 316(5) of the BNS, alleging that she removed confidential NTA question material from official custody, thereby committing criminal breach of trust as a public servant. She has also been chargesheeted under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly dishonestly misappropriating confidential NTA question papers for monetary benefit.

The agency has additionally invoked Section 10 read with Sections 3, 4 and 5, along with Section 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, alleging that Havaldar leaked questions for monetary gain, colluded with others, provided leaked material and unauthorised tutoring to candidates prior to the examination, and participated in organised criminal activity. (ANI)

The CBI has concluded that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was the result of a well-organised, multi-state criminal conspiracy in which confidential examination questions were allegedly leaked by National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts and passed through a chain of intermediaries to candidates in exchange for huge sums of money.

The agency has filed a chargesheet before the Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue, Delhi, naming 13 accused, including three NTA subject experts, coaching operators, middlemen and candidates.

According to the chargesheet, the investigation revealed that three NTA-appointed subject experts Botany expert Manisha Gurunath Mandhare (A-1), Chemistry expert Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni (A-2) and Physics expert Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (A-3) allegedly abused their official positions to illegally access confidential NEET-UG 2026 question papers and share them with members of the conspiracy before the examination.

The investigation, according to the agency, uncovered a structured supply chain through which the leaked papers travelled from the experts to coaching operators and brokers before finally reaching candidates.

The CBI alleges that private accused Tejas Shah (A-4), Shivraj Motegaonkar (A-5), Dr Manoj Shirure (A-6), Manisha Sanjay Waghmare (A-7), Dhananjay Lokhande (A-8), Shubham Khairnar (A-9), Yash Yadav (A-10), Mangilal Biwal (A-11), Dinesh Biwal (A-12) and Vikas Biwal (A-13) played different roles in distributing the leaked questions and arranging payments.

The chargesheet states that forensic examination of seized mobile phones, pen drives and other digital devices revealed PDF and image files containing leaked NEET questions. Investigators claim that these files were exchanged through Telegram, WhatsApp and other instant messaging platforms several days before the examination.

The CBI says the digital evidence establishes the movement of the leaked questions across multiple accused. Tracing the chain of circulation, the CBI alleges that Mangilal Biwal (A-11) received leaked questions through Telegram from co-accused Yash Yadav (A-10). The agency claims Biwal subsequently handed over original Class X and XII certificates and a signed blank cheque as security to an associate of Yash Yadav, documents that were later recovered during searches.

The agency further states that Yash Yadav had obtained the leaked question papers from Nashik-based accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar (A-9). During forensic analysis of Yadav’s mobile phone, investigators allegedly found chats with a contact saved as “AP Broker”, who was identified as Khairnar. The recovered PDF files containing leaked questions were also found on Yadav’s device, according to the chargesheet.

The CBI alleges that Khairnar procured the leaked questions from Dhananjay Lokhande (A-8) in a deal allegedly worth Rs 25 lakh. During interrogation, Khairnar is stated to have disclosed the financial arrangement. The agency further claims Lokhande had received the leaked questions from Manisha Sanjay Waghmare (A-7), who allegedly arranged for physical copies to be delivered through intermediaries.

According to the chargesheet, searches at Waghmare’s residence led to the recovery of a mobile phone containing a WhatsApp group named “NEET 2026”.

The investigation also revealed that Waghmare was in contact with NTA Chemistry expert Prahlad Kulkarni (A-2), who had worked on the Marathi-to-English back translation of the Chemistry paper for NEET-UG 2026. The CBI alleges Waghmare obtained the leaked Biology and Chemistry questions through students whom she had introduced to the NTA experts Manisha Mandhare (A-1) and Kulkarni (A-2).

The CBI has also detailed statements of candidates examined during the probe. According to the chargesheet, one candidate and her father were allegedly offered access to NEET-UG 2026 questions for ₹4 lakh, alongside coaching arrangements and offline revision classes conducted by one of the NTA subject experts. The investigation traces these interactions to late 2025 and early 2026 as part of the alleged conspiracy.

The agency has asserted that forensic analysis of seized electronic devices, chat records, recovered documents and witness statements collectively establish the alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of official position by public servants and illegal circulation of confidential examination material before the conduct of NEET-UG 2026. (ANI)