NewDelhi: As the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak investigation intensifies, startling revelations are coming to the fore. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested one Manisha Mandhre from Pune. With her arrest, the total number of people held in the case has reached nine so far. The agency has been expanding its probe across multiple states, tying together coaching institutes, suspected exam handlers and alleged academic insiders to the leak network.
Mandhre is a senior botany professor working at a reputed college in Pune. According to officials, she was connected to the NEET-UG 2026 examination process and had been appointed as an expert by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Investigators are said to have found that she was given access to botany and zoology question papers as part of her assigned responsibilities.
So far, neither Mandhre nor her legal representatives have issued any statement regarding the allegations.
Officials have also confirmed that earlier, another accused named PV Kulkarni was arrested from Pune. The CBI has described him as the alleged mastermind behind the paper leak network.
How probe reached Mandhre
CBI officials stated that after detailed questioning and technical analysis, she was taken into custody. She is believed to have played a role in connecting students and managing academic sessions for NEET preparations.
As per the investigation, during April 2026, she allegedly brought together potential NEET candidates in Pune through another accused, Manisha Waghmare. It is claimed that she conducted special coaching sessions at her residence. During these sessions, questions from botany and zoology were discussed in detail, and students were asked to note them down and mark them in their books.
Investigators found that several of these questions matched the ones that appeared in the NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3, 2026. Waghmare was earlier arrested on May 14, 2026.
The CBI has also conducted raids at six locations and seized documents, laptops, bank statements and mobile phones believed to be linked to the case.
Nine arrests across multiple states
So far, arrests in the NEET paper leak case have been made from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune and Ahilyanagar. Officials said that five of the accused were produced before court and have been sent to seven-day CBI custody for further questioning.
College administration reacts
The college where Mandhre has been working as a professor said it came to know about her arrest through media. According to principal Dr. Nivedita Ekbotte, Mandhre had been working at the institution for nearly 24 years and was also associated with the NTA under confidentiality conditions.
She also said that the teacher was scheduled to retire after seven months. The college administration said it has no detailed knowledge of how the NTA handles exam paper preparation or distribution and will take action according to law once official communication is received from authorities.
Following government approval, the NTA has decided to conduct a re-exam for NEET-2026 on June 21.
Other accused in the case
The investigation has also uncovered several other individuals who are believed to be associated with the alleged leak chain.
Shubham Khairnar from Nashik was among the first arrested after the case surfaced. Police said he was member of the Telegram group where the NEET question paper was allegedly circulated.
The CBI stated that Khairnar received a PDF version of the paper and passed it further to multiple individuals, including Yash Yadav and others. He was also running an education consultancy under the name SR Education Consultancy.
Officials said he was arrested after being handed over to the CBI by the Nashik police.
PV Kulkarni identified as the kingpin
PV Kulkarni, a retired chemistry professor from Latur, was arrested after interrogation in Pune. The CBI has described him as the mastermind of the case. He had served for 27 years at Dayanand College before retiring in 2022 and later settled in Pune.
According to investigators, he was linked to organisations that conducted mock tests and guidance sessions for competitive exams such as NEET, JEE and MHT-CET. The CBI also claimed to have found that he conducted special coaching sessions in Pune during the last week of April 2026. There were also allegations that he provided “guess papers” in exchange for money, although his legal team has denied the charges, saying there is no direct evidence against him.
Other arrests and links
Waghmare, arrested on May 14, 2026, is also under investigation for her alleged links with Kulkarni. She reportedly knew him through Mandhre.
Her lawyers have argued that no direct evidence has been found against her.
Another accused, Dhananjay Lokhande from Ahilyanagar, was arrested after being identified as someone who passed exam-related material to Khairnar. The chain reportedly continued further through multiple intermediaries.
From Jaipur, Mangalilal Bival was arrested for allegedly obtaining and distributing leaked papers. His son and brother, Dinesh and Vikas Bival, were also taken into custody in connection with financial and distribution links.
Officials said there were also claims that Bival had access to exam material in earlier years through contacts linked to Haryana-based Yash Yadav.
A BAMS student from Gurugram studying in Uttarkashi, Yadav was also arrested for his alleged role in circulating the leaked material.
Probe continues
The CBI said the investigation is still ongoing and more arrests cannot be ruled out as digital devices and financial records are being analysed. Officials are also examining how question papers were accessed and shared across different locations before the exam date.
As the probe expands, authorities say the attention is on tracing the full chain of individuals involved in the leak and understanding how the network operated across states and institutions.
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