The Central Bureau of Investigation has uncovered new details in the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case, alleging that key accused received examination questions and answers as early as April 27, nearly a week before the test, and pointing to a suspected insider link connected to the National Testing Agency.
CBI Points to Suspected NTA Insider Link
According to the agency, arrested accused Manisha Sanjay Waghmare allegedly obtained the question papers and answers in conspiracy with other accused and a public servant associated with the NTA. Investigators told the court that Waghmare came into contact with chemistry expert Professor P. V. Kulkarni, who has already been arrested in the case.
Biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare was later arrested as the investigation widened. The CBI, while placing its case diary before the court, alleged that Waghmare received the leaked questions and answers from Professor Kulkarni and then distributed them further through the network.
The agency said one of the recipients was Dhananjay Lokhande, arrested from Ahilyanagar, who is accused of circulating the leaked material among aspiring candidates. Investigators claim the entire operation was run in exchange for large sums of money collected from students and their families.
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Handwritten Notes Allegedly Destroyed After Exam
The CBI has also alleged that efforts were made to destroy evidence after the examination concluded. According to the agency, handwritten chemistry questions and notes allegedly shared by Professor Kulkarni with students were destroyed after the exam.
Investigators further told the court that Manisha Waghmare allegedly destroyed related papers and documents after the May 3 examination in an attempt to erase direct evidence and obstruct the probe. This alleged destruction of material has become a significant part of the investigation as the agency tries to reconstruct how the leak operated and who handled the documents at different stages.
Officials said the matching of taught material with the eventual examination paper has emerged as one of the most important parts of the evidence collected so far. The CBI is now examining how widely the leaked questions may have been circulated before the exam.
Special Coaching Sessions Under Scanner
The role of arrested biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare is also being treated as crucial. Officials stated that Mandhare was a member of the NEET UG paper setting committee and had been appointed by the NTA as a subject expert. Because of that position, she allegedly had complete access to the Botany and Zoology question papers.
According to the CBI, during April 2026 Mandhare allegedly mobilised prospective NEET candidates with the help of Manisha Waghmare and organised special coaching sessions at her residence in Pune. During these sessions, select students were allegedly dictated leaked questions and answers. Investigators claim that lakhs of rupees were charged from candidates and their parents in return for access to the leaked material.
Professor P. V. Kulkarni, arrested earlier, had reportedly served for years on panels involved in setting NEET question papers. The CBI alleges that he misused his privileged access to confidential material by inviting students to his residence during the last week of April and dictating probable questions, answer options and responses.
The NEET UG 2026 examination was held on May 3 across 551 cities in India and at 14 overseas centres, with nearly 23 lakh candidates registered. The test was later cancelled after allegations of a paper leak surfaced. According to the NTA, information regarding the suspected malpractice was received on the evening of May 7, after which the matter was escalated to central agencies.
The CBI is now analysing digital records, call details, bank transactions and electronic devices seized during raids as it investigates what it suspects may be a well organised network operating across multiple locations.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
