Investigation – CBI Chargesheet Alleges Months-Long Planning Behind NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak
Investigation – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed that the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper was the outcome of a carefully organised plan rather than a last-minute breach. According to the agency’s chargesheet submitted before the Special CBI Court at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Courts, the investigation indicates that individuals linked to the conspiracy established contact with National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts several months before the examination. The agency alleges that confidential question papers were accessed through these contacts in exchange for illegal financial benefits.
Charges Against NTA Subject Experts
As detailed in the chargesheet, three subject experts appointed by the NTA have been named as accused in the case. They include Botany expert Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, Chemistry expert Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni, and Physics expert Manisha Sanjay Havaldar. The CBI alleges that these experts misused their official responsibilities by providing access to confidential examination material before the NEET-UG 2026 test was conducted.
Alleged Network of Coaching Operators and Intermediaries
The investigation further states that coaching institute representatives and intermediaries allegedly developed a systematic network to obtain the examination papers. According to the CBI, the accused remained in regular contact with the subject experts through meetings and continuous communication. The agency alleges that financial transactions were arranged to facilitate access to sensitive examination documents well before the scheduled examination date.
Among the private individuals named in the chargesheet are Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, Chief Operating Officer of Dr. Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy in Pune, Shivraj Motegaonkar, managing partner of Renukai Career Centre, and Dr. Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure, owner of Siddhivinayak Hospital. The agency alleges that they played key roles in coordinating activities outside the NTA framework.
Multi-Level Distribution of Question Papers
According to the CBI, the confidential papers were not supplied directly to examination candidates. Instead, investigators claim that the material moved through multiple intermediaries before reaching those who allegedly agreed to pay substantial amounts for access.
The chargesheet identifies Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhananjay Lokhande, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar, and Yash Yadav as individuals who allegedly acted as intermediaries in the distribution chain. Investigators believe this layered network helped conceal the movement of the leaked papers while expanding their circulation.
Digital Evidence Forms Key Part of Investigation
The CBI has stated that its findings are supported by a wide range of digital evidence collected during searches. According to the agency, WhatsApp conversations, Telegram messages, PDF documents, photographs of question papers, and forensic examination of seized electronic devices have helped investigators trace the alleged movement of confidential examination material.
Officials say these electronic records were used to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish communication among the accused during different stages of the alleged conspiracy.
Security Deposits and Legal Action
The chargesheet also alleges that one accused provided original educational certificates along with a signed blank cheque as security after receiving the leaked questions. Investigators claim this reflected a financial arrangement intended to guarantee payment for the alleged illegal access to the examination papers.
The CBI has invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and destruction of evidence. Additional charges have been filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. According to the agency, all 13 accused named in the chargesheet are currently in judicial custody.
The investigating agency maintains that the evidence collected so far points to an organised conspiracy involving public servants, private coaching operators, intermediaries, and candidates. The CBI has asserted that the alleged incident was not an isolated security lapse but part of a coordinated operation planned well in advance of the NEET-UG 2026 examination.