• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. CBI produced accused Botany teacher Manisha Mandhare in court.
  2. CBI seeks custody of alleged NEET-UG 2026 leak mastermind.
  3. Mandhare, NTA expert, had direct access to exam papers.

In a major development in the NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Sunday granted 14-day CBI custody of accused Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a Pune-based Botany teacher, alleged to be one of the “masterminds” behind the Biology paper leak.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had earlier produced Mandhare before the court and sought her custodial interrogation, claiming she played a crucial role in leaking Biology questions linked to the highly competitive medical entrance examination. Mandhare was arrested by the CBI on Saturday and was presented before the Rouse Avenue court this morning.

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What The Investigation Reveals

According to investigators, Mandhare was working as a senior Botany teacher in Pune and had been appointed by the National Testing Agency as an expert associated with the NEET-UG 2026 examination process. Officials allege she had direct access to Botany and Zoology question papers and is suspected to be one of the “masterminds” behind the Biology paper leak.

The CBI claims that during April 2026, Mandhare allegedly conducted special coaching sessions for selected NEET aspirants at her residence in Pune. In these sessions, candidates were reportedly made to write down important questions of Botany and Zoology, which allegedly later reflected in the NEET-UG 2026 paper, which was conducted on May 3.

Officials added that Mandhare had mobilised candidates using another accused, Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested earlier in the investigation. The investigation agency further claims that the leakage was operated by insiders of the question-paper setting, middlemen and beneficiaries. Candidates had reportedly paid a huge amount for papers.

This case is turning bigger and bigger as CBI has launched raids across several cities and has also recovered laptops, mobiles, bank accounts, handwritten copies and other digital data associated with the paper leakage scam.

At least nine people have been arrested so far from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Ahilyanagar, etc. Among those arrested earlier is chemistry professor P V Kulkarni, whom investigators have described as another major conspirator linked to the Chemistry section leak.

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SC Grants 10-day Custody For ‘Kingpin’ Professor

On Saturday, the Rouse Avenue Court granted 10-day CBI custody of P V Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare after the agency argued that custodial interrogation was necessary to trace the complete chain of distribution and identify all beneficiaries of the alleged leak.

The NEET-UG 2026 controversy has triggered nationwide concern over the integrity of India’s medical entrance examination system. The investigation is currently focused on identifying the full extent of the alleged organised network, financial transactions involved, and the role of individuals associated with the examination-setting process.


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