- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 17 May 2026 03:53 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
One of the alleged masterminds of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, a Pune-based botany teacher, Manisha Mandhare, has been sent to 14-day CBI custody. The CBI sought the custody in the Rouse Avenue Court on Sunday, presenting new facts from the investigation that highlighted a vast network of exam insiders, middlemen, and students from various states.
According to documents presented in court, the paper leak took place in several stages. The investigation revealed that questions and answers were taken out of the examination system and then distributed to various individuals.
According to the CBI, Mandhare, a botany professor from Pune, was involved in the examination process as a subject expert and therefore had direct access to confidential Botany and Zoology questions.
The investigation has also revealed the names of retired chemistry professor PV Kulkarni and a Pune-based beauty parlour owner Manisha Waghmare, both arrested earlier and sent to CBI custody.
Inside job
The CBI suspects that portions of the question paper and answer key were leaked from within the examination system before the exam. According to the CBI, Mandhare and Waghmare, also from Pune, were in close contact and lived in the same housing society.
According to a report by Jagran.com, investigations revealed that Waghmare frequently visited Mandhare's home. In court, the CBI stated that Mandhare, Kulkarni, and Waghmare were working in collusion.
The agency has uncovered that the leaked question papers were delivered to Shubham Khairnar, a BAMS graduate from Nashik, who was among the primary accused who were arrested. He allegedly bought the leaked paper and sold it over.
Special classes
The CBI told the court that in April, Manisha Mandhare also held "special" classes for select students at her home in Pune. Botany and zoology questions were explained to the students in these classes. Waghmare played a key role in bringing these students to Mandhare's classes.
According to the investigation, Mandhare dictated the questions to students and explained them in notebooks instead of directly giving them printed papers.
The investigation also revealed the name of Ayurvedic physician Dhananjay Lokhande. The CBI says he received exam-related materials from Waghmare and acted as a middleman in the network.
Guess Paper' reaches Telegram
The CBI suspects that Shubham Khairnare passed the "guess paper" to the accused Yash Yadav, a Gurugram-based accused. According to the investigation, Yash Yadav shared the Physics, Chemistry, and Biology question papers in PDF format on Telegram on April 29, four days before the exam.
The investigation also revealed that Mangilal Biwal had offered to pay Rs 10 to 12 lakh in exchange for obtaining the leaked paper for his son.
As per sources cited by Jagran.com, Yash Yadav knew Mangilal's elder son, Vikas Biwal, from his coaching days in Sikar, Rajasthan.
The CBI claims that after receiving the paper, Mangilal had it printed and distributed to his son, Aman Biwal, relatives, and acquaintances.