NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has concluded that the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was the result of a well-coordinated, multi-state criminal conspiracy in which confidential question papers were leaked by National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts and circulated through a network of middlemen to candidates in return for large sums of money.In a chargesheet filed before the Special CBI Court at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue, the agency has named 13 accused, including three NTA-appointed subject experts, alleging they exploited their official roles to illegally access the examination papers before the test and pass them on through a chain of intermediaries.The three experts named are Botany specialist Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, Chemistry expert Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni and Physics expert Manisha Sanjay Havaldar. According to the CBI, they leaked confidential NEET-UG 2026 questions, which were subsequently circulated among coaching operators and brokers before reaching candidates.The accused have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.The agency said its investigation uncovered a well-defined supply chain linking the NTA experts to middlemen and coaching operators who allegedly distributed the leaked papers to candidates for money.Apart from the three NTA experts, the chargesheet names Tejas Shah, Shivraj Motegaonkar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhananjay Lokhande, Shubham Khairnar, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Vikas Biwal. The CBI alleged that each played a specific role in facilitating the leak, coordinating candidates or handling financial transactions.According to the chargesheet, forensic examination of seized mobile phones, pen drives and other electronic devices recovered PDF and image files containing leaked NEET-UG 2026 questions. Investigators alleged that the files were exchanged through Telegram, WhatsApp and other messaging applications several days before the examination.The CBI claimed that digital evidence helped reconstruct the route through which the leaked papers moved across multiple states and accused.The agency alleged that Mangilal Biwal received the leaked questions from co-accused Yash Yadav via Telegram. As part of the arrangement, Biwal allegedly handed over his original Class X and XII certificates along with a signed blank cheque as security to one of Yadav’s associates. These documents were later recovered during searches, the chargesheet said.Investigators further alleged that Yash Yadav sourced the papers from Nashik-based accused Shubham Khairnar. Forensic analysis of Yadav’s mobile phone reportedly uncovered chats with a contact saved as “AP Broker”, identified as Khairnar, along with PDF files containing the leaked question paper.The CBI alleged that Khairnar paid Rs 25 lakh to Dhananjay Lokhande for the leaked paper. During questioning, Khairnar is said to have disclosed details of the financial transaction. Lokhande, in turn, allegedly received the leaked papers from Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, who arranged for physical copies to be delivered through intermediaries.Searches at Waghmare’s residence allegedly led to the recovery of a mobile phone containing a WhatsApp group named “NEET 2026”, which investigators believe was used in connection with the conspiracy.The agency also alleged that Waghmare was in touch with NTA Chemistry expert Prahlad Kulkarni, who had worked on the Marathi-to-English back translation of the Chemistry paper. According to the CBI, Waghmare obtained leaked Biology and Chemistry questions through students she had introduced to Mandhare and Kulkarni.The chargesheet also refers to statements recorded from candidates during the investigation. In one instance, a candidate and her father were allegedly offered access to the NEET-UG 2026 question paper for Rs 4 lakh, along with coaching support and offline revision classes conducted by one of the NTA subject experts. The CBI said these interactions took place between late 2025 and early 2026 as part of the broader conspiracy.The agency said forensic analysis of seized electronic devices, chat records, recovered documents and witness statements collectively supports its allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of official position by public servants and the illegal circulation of confidential examination material ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
