CBI files charge sheet against 13 accused in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against 13 arrested accused in the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak case, charging them with offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), besides provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The agency has cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects in the charge sheet. All 13 accused named in the charge sheet are currently in judicial custody, the CBI said.

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The charge sheet names three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts — Manisha Mandhare (Biology), Pralhad Vithalrao Kulkarni (Chemistry) and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (Physics).

The remaining accused include alleged middlepersons and middlemen — Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhananjay Nivrutti Lokhande, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Vikash Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Dr Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure — along with Shivraj Raghunath Motegoankar, owner of RCC Coaching Institute in Latur, and Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, Physics faculty and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at APMA Coaching Institute, Pune.

CBI registered FIR after Centre's complaint over exam irregularities

The Department of Higher Education, Government of India, had lodged a written complaint on May 12, 2026, regarding alleged irregularities and the leak of NEET-UG 2026 examination papers. The exam was conducted on May 3, 2026.

Following the complaint, the CBI registered an FIR on May 12 and formed multiple investigation teams comprising 72 officers and personnel, along with eight cyber forensic experts.

The agency conducted searches at 92 locations across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and other states. During the searches, the CBI seized incriminating material, including digital and communication devices and documents. Forensic imaging and analysis of the seized material has been carried out.

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Leak chain traced from source to beneficiary candidates

The CBI said it acted swiftly to identify the source of the leak and trace the chain through which the leaked questions reached beneficiary candidates.

The first arrest in the case was made on May 13, 2026. According to the agency, the 13 accused include three NTA subject experts, several alleged middlemen involved in sourcing and distributing the leaked questions, the owner of a coaching institute in Latur, and a Physics faculty member and COO of a coaching institute in Pune.

The CBI said the two coaching institute-linked accused allegedly obtained the leaked question papers from the NTA subject experts through the identified intermediaries.

The agency also conducted a money trail analysis and froze several bank accounts, bank lockers and a demat account linked to the accused.

The agency said digital forensic analysis reports, handwriting expert opinions and academic experts' opinions on the leaked questions have been obtained. These reports confirmed the role of the accused in circulating the leaked questions before the date of the examination.

Further investigation and forensic analysis in the case are continuing, the CBI said, adding that it is committed to ensuring that those responsible face legal consequences.