NEET-UG Paper Leak Case: On the fifth day of the probe in the NEET-UG paper leak case, which triggered nationwide outrage, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested another kingpin, the second in 24 hours, both of whom are linked to the National Testing Agency's (NTA), and are teachers. Since May 12, when the CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR), following the cancellation of the May 3 medical entrance examination, over a half-dozen accused, ranging from NTA experts, career counsellors, to students. In the last 24-hours, the probe agency arrested two individuals for the first time, who were insiders of the NTA system.
The CBI also conducted searches at six locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents on Satur, laptops, bank statements and mobile phones. A detailed analysis of the seized items is going on.
Second Mastermind Linked To NTA Arrested
The CBI on Saturday arrested another mastermind, who was the source for the leak of NEET-UG 2026 Examination Biology questions. The key accused, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a Senior Botany Teacher from Pune, has been arrested in Delhi after thorough interrogation by the CBI. She was involved in the NEET UG 2026 examination process and appointed by NTA as an expert. She had complete access to the Botany and Zoology question papers.
What Was Two Manishas' Role?
During April, Manisha Mandhare had mobilised prospective NEET examination candidates through Manisha Wagmare of Pune (already arrested on May 14) and conducted special coaching classes for these students at her Pune residence. During these classes, she explained and disclosed various questions from Botany and Zoology subjects and made the students note down the same in their notebooks and also mark in their textbooks. The majority of these questions tallied with the actual question paper of NEET UG 2026 Examination held on May 3.
First NTA Inside Arrested From Pune
On Friday, the CBI made a breakthrough after which it claimed it had cracked the NEET paper leak case with the arrest of a Pune-based professor, the "source" of the leak of the paper. Professor PV Kulkarni, a domain expert in chemistry from Latur who has for years served on panels involved in setting the NEET question paper, was taken into custody from his residence in Pune.
Exploiting his privileged access to confidential material, Kulkarni hosted special coaching classes at his house in the last week of April and dictated to his students questions, options and answers which appeared in the NEET UG paper on May 3.
How Question Paper Travelled From One City To Another
On Thursday, the agency arrested Dhananjay Lokhande from Ahilyanagar and his associate Manisha Waghmare from Pune. The CBI found that Lokhande had received the paper from Waghmare and passed it on to Nashik-based Shubham Khairnar, who, in his turn, passed it on to Yash Yadav, who circulated it further.
Three Arrests From Jaipur's Biwal Family
The probe agencies arrested three individuals from Jaipur -- Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal -- along with Yadav from Gurugram and Khairnar from Nashik. Khairnar was in touch with Yadav and informed him in April that Mangilal Biwal was ready to pay Rs 10-12 lakh for arranging leaked NEET (UG) 2026 questions for his younger son. Khairnar allegedly shared with Yadav 500 to 600 questions, ensuring enough marks to get a seat in a reputed medical college.
Mangilal Biwal allegedly procured the paper from Yadav, who was known to his elder son Vikas Biwal from a NEET coaching in Rajasthan's Sikar. The deal between Mangilal Biwal and Yadav was struck for Rs 10 lakh. Mangilal Biwal shared the paper with his son and further distributed it among relatives. Yadav also told Vikas Biwal to find more NET aspirants to sell them the questions to recover some of the money.
ALSO READ: NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak: From Chemistry Lecturer To Career Counsellors, Key Accused And Their Roles
Delhi Court Sends Kingpin Kulkarni, Accused Waghmare To 10-Day CBI Custody
Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Saturday sent the alleged kingpin in the NEET paper leak case, P V Kulkarni, and another accused, Manisha Waghmare, to CBI custody for 10 days. Special CBI judge Ajay Gupta remanded Kulkarni and Waghmare in CBI custody after the probe agency submitted that the duo needed to be taken outside the national capital for further investigation and that the larger conspiracy had to be investigated.
Earlier on Friday, the court had sent accused Dhananjay Lokhande to CBI custody for six days. On Thursday, five others, Shubham Khairnar from Nashik, Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal from Jaipur, and Yash Yadav from Gurugram, were sent to CBI custody till May 20.
Demand For Resignation Of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Congress leader, demanded the immediate removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying the issue has affected lakhs of students. He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the matter.
(With Agencies Inputs)