NEET paper leak: CBI files first supplementary chargesheet; no govt, NTA official named as accused

New Delhi: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed its first supplementary chargesheet in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, naming one additional accused, taking the total number of people chargesheeted in the case to 14. So far, the federal agency has not named any government or National Testing Agency (NTA) official as an accused.

The supplementary chargesheet was filed before a Delhi court against Sheshrav Bajrang Suryawanshi, alias Raj Suryawanshi, a resident of Nanded in Maharashtra, who was arrested on September 2. CBI has alleged that he is a close associate of co-accused Shubham Khairnar.

A special CBI judge directed that a copy of the supplementary chargesheet be supplied to Suryawanshi's counsel and listed the matter for further proceedings on Thursday.


The development comes nearly three months after the CBI filed its first chargesheet on July 28, naming 13 accused, including three subject experts associated with NTA, middlemen and individuals linked to coaching institutes.

The absence of government and NTA officials from the list of accused is significant, given the questions raised over the security of confidential examination material. In May, counsel for the federal agency had told a local court that the "entire NTA process" and the alleged involvement of NTA officials in the leak were under CBI's scanner. Emphasising the "larger conspiracy" angle, the agency had submitted in May that other members of the "syndicate" needed to be identified and arrested.

"There is a larger conspiracy angle present in the case and as per CBI several other accused who are active members of this syndicate are yet to be identified and arrested," the May court order stated.

The court had also recorded CBI's submission that an "organised paper leak gang" was involved in the instant case. Observing that "the investigation is at its very initial and crucial stage", the court had recorded these submissions in its May order remanding one of the co-accused, Manisha Mandhare, to 14 days of CBI custody.

The CBI's first chargesheet cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects. The agency also relied on digital forensic analysis, handwriting expert opinions and assessments by academic experts concerning the alleged circulation of leaked questions before the examination.

The NEET-UG 2026 examination was held on May 3. CBI took over the investigation following a complaint lodged by the Department of Higher Education on May 12 regarding alleged irregularities and the leakage of questions. The examination was subsequently cancelled, and a re-test was held on June 21.

The investigation examined the alleged chain through which questions were obtained and circulated before the examination, as well as the roles of subject experts, intermediaries and candidates who allegedly benefited from the leak.