Investigating agencies probing the NEET-UG paper leak case say the accused allegedly operated with a strict division of labour, assigning different subject portions to different members based on expertise and networks. The compartmentalised approach, officials believe, kept suspicion low because no single person possessed the entire question paper. A Chemistry teacher in Latur allegedly shared Chemistry questions, while another accused used a student counselling institute to reach aspirants and handle much of the Biology section. Investigators also face hurdles recovering deleted Telegram chats, delaying digital evidence.
CBI has arrested Pune senior Botany teacher Manisha Gurunath Mandhare in connection with an alleged NEET UG 2026 Biology paper leak. The agency says she was an NTA-appointed subject expert with authorized access to the question paper and shared confidential content with selected candidates. CBI claims she ran special coaching sessions at her residence in April 2026, dictating Biology questions later reported to match the exam held on May 3 before it was cancelled. Searches across six locations and nine arrests are underway.
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In a major step in the NEET UG 2026 paper leak probe, the CBI has arrested Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior woman biology lecturer from Pune and an expert on the NTA question-setting panel. Sources say she was detained first for interrogation before formal arrest. The agency claims she had complete access to the Botany and Zoology sections and allegedly mobilised candidates through special coaching at her residence, with questions reportedly matching those that appeared in the May 3 exam. The arrest follows PV Kulkarni’s detention as “kingpin.”
CBI arrested Maharashtra chemistry lecturer Prof PV Kulkarni, a NEET-UG 2026 paper-setting committee member, alleging he masterminded the medical entrance exam leak. Investigators say Kulkarni had authorized access in the weeks before the test and allegedly ran paid coaching sessions where he dictated questions and answers. Forensic checks of seized notebooks reportedly showed handwritten notes matching the actual paper set on May 3. The probe began May 12 on a Higher Education Department complaint and has led to multiple arrests and raids, including at NTA records.
NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be held on June 21, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced, days after the May 3 exam was cancelled amid a paper leak controversy. He said the next NEET-UG starting in 2027 will be conducted as a computer-based test, planned across 10 days in 20 sessions with normalisation for the test format. The decision followed talks between the education and health ministries, with health initially opposed citing digital divide and leak concerns.
Rahul Gandhi reacted sharply to the death of 21-year-old Ritik Mishra, a NEET aspirant in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, whose family alleged he hanged himself after the NEET-UG exam was cancelled amid paper leak allegations. Calling it “murder by the system,” Gandhi questioned how many such deaths it would take to bring accountability, citing data on scams, cancellations, and near-zero punishment. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also condemned exam corruption.
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A Delhi court sent NEET paper leak accused Dhananjay Lokhande to six days of CBI custody, allowing the agency’s plea for custodial interrogation. The CBI said Lokhande received the leaked paper from another accused, Manisha Baghmare, and then gave it to co-accused Shubham. The probe aims to uncover a larger conspiracy, with investigation still at an early and crucial stage. Earlier, five other accused were remanded to seven days in CBI custody.
The CBI is actively investigating alleged NEET (UG) paper leaks, conducting fresh questioning in Latur, Maharashtra. Investigators visited and questioned Shivraj Motegaonkar, director of Renukai Chemistry Classes, at his residence in Omkar Residency, with a 28-member team currently camping in the city. Earlier, the agency detained a retired chemistry faculty member tied to the paper-setting committee. The NEET (UG) 2026 exam on May 3 was cancelled on May 12. Police inquiry began after a complaint alleging 42 mock test questions matched NEET.
The CBI has laid out new claims in the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, accusing a Rajasthan-based family of orchestrating an interstate network that procured and circulated leaked question papers for ₹10-12 lakh deals. Investigators trace the plot to April 2026, when a Nashik contact allegedly approached a Gurugram resident. They say original mark sheets, roll-number details and a cheque were used as security, with leaked sets sent via Telegram as PDFs before the exam.
As outrage grows over allegations of NEET question-paper leaks and irregularities, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced sweeping changes. From next year, NEET will shift to a computer-based format, replacing the OMR-based test model. The NTA will refund exam fees for affected candidates and conduct a re-exam with no additional charges. Candidates will also receive an extra 15 minutes, and admit cards for the re-test are scheduled for release on June 14.
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The Centre has announced a re-examination for NEET UG 2026 on June 21 after a paper leak, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan vowing malpractice will not recur. The AAP alleges the government is “playing with the lives” of 22–23 lakh students and questions whether the main leak syndicate was arrested. Pradhan said the verification process started May 8 and continued until May 11, with cancellation on May 12, plus fee refunds and a shift to computer-based testing next year.
The CBI’s investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak has accelerated, with two additional people arrested on Thursday and the total number of arrests rising to around seven. Authorities identified the new accused as Dhananjay Lokhanda and Manisha Waghmare, arrested from Ahilyanagar and Pune respectively. The CBI also conducted searches at 14 locations across India. Earlier, five people were arrested on Wednesday. Investigators said the Pune woman had received funds linked to 21 bank accounts before the exam.
Rajasthan Police’s SOG escalated its NEET-UG 2026 paper leak probe by detaining alleged mastermind Manish Yadav and paper distributor Rakesh Mandawariya, while widening arrests across five states. Sources say the network’s chain traces to Nashik in Maharashtra, where a physical paper was sent to Haryana for reproduction before being split into sets and distributed to Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. NTA has already cancelled the exam and ordered a CBI probe. Around 45 people are reportedly in custody so far.
A Delhi court has sent five accused in the alleged NEET-UG paper leak case to seven days of CBI custody. The CBI argued custodial interrogation is crucial to crack the conspiracy, spot additional suspects, and track financial transactions tied to an alleged exam-leak network operating across multiple states through intermediaries.
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The CBI has detained a retired professor in Latur as its probe into the 2026 NEET-UG paper leak case escalates. The agency’s move suggests it is pursuing a well-organised paper-setting network tied to the city’s reputation as an education hub. Investigators say the development raises new questions about possible connections within the coaching and exam ecosystem.
In the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case, an accused alleges that influential people are being protected while smaller players are targeted. The CBI has arrested five individuals across three states, suspecting a multi-state network involving coaching institutes, courier services, and social media. Investigators are now scanning digital records and financial trails to identify larger operators.
A second-year MBBS student has alleged an organised NEET question paper leak, claiming answer keys were being openly offered for money ahead of the exam. He shared screenshots of suspicious WhatsApp chats and says a student sitting behind him had two A4 sheets with answers that closely matched the questions, raising fresh questions for authorities to investigate.
A medical body has urged the Supreme Court to overhaul or replace the National Testing Agency after recurring NEET-UG paper leaks. It calls the issue a direct assault on students’ fundamental rights and says the current system shows systemic failures and outdated security measures. The plea requests a robust, autonomous exam integrity setup and a high-powered interim committee to monitor and prevent further breaches.
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The NEET-UG paper leak probe has reportedly uncovered a Rajasthan network in Sikar involving multiple people and coaching ties. Investigators allege Yash Yadav, linked to Vikas Biwal, digitized the question paper before it reached students. Students are said to have paid between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for access, prompting deeper investigation into who facilitated the leak and how.
Maharashtra Police detained two more suspects in the alleged NEET 2026 paper leak case, including a woman from Pune. The woman, identified as Manisha Waghmare, was picked up from Bibvewadi and reportedly works as a beautician. After questioning, the suspects were handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), signalling a widening probe.
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