CBI files chargesheet against 13 accused in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against 13 accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, alleging their involvement in the leak and circulation of examination questions before the medical entrance test.

The chargesheet was submitted before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Tuesday and will be placed before the special fast-track court handling paper leak cases.

The chargesheet, filed by the CBI's Economic Offences Wing, includes allegations of criminal conspiracy, cheating, destruction of evidence, criminal breach of trust, corruption-related offences, and violations under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The agency has invoked Sections 315(5), 318(4), 61(2), 238 and 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The accused named in the chargesheet are Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Subham Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Prahalad Kulkarni, Tejas Harshad Kumar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Mandhare, and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar. All 13 accused are currently in judicial custody.

According to the CBI, the chargesheet includes three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts, individuals linked with coaching institutes, alleged intermediaries, and beneficiary candidates.

The agency said it has cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents, and 43 material objects as part of the investigation.

"The CBI cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects in this charge sheet. All 13 chargesheeted persons are in judicial custody as on date," the agency's spokesperson said.

The agency said digital forensic reports, handwriting expert assessments, and academic expert opinions related to the leaked questions were included in the chargesheet.

"These reports confirmed the role of the accused in circulation of leaked questions prior to the date of examination," the spokesperson said.

The CBI took over the investigation on May 12 following allegations of irregularities and paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3. The examination was later cancelled, and a re-examination was conducted on June 21.

During the investigation, the agency formed multiple teams, including cyber forensic experts, and conducted searches at 92 locations across Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, and other states.

The searches led to the seizure of digital devices, documents, and other material, which were examined through forensic analysis.

The agency said it traced the alleged chain from the source of the leak to the candidates who benefited from the leaked questions.

"The path from source of the leak to the beneficiary candidates was unearthed, leading to the identification of the chain. The first arrest in this case was made on May 13, 2026," the CBI said.

Among those named in the chargesheet are NTA subject experts PV Kulkarni from chemistry, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare from biology, and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar from physics.

Other accused include Dr Manoj Shirure, a Latur-based doctor, Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a physics faculty member at Pune-based Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy (APMA), and Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, linked with a coaching institute in Latur.

"Several middlemen who have sourced and distributed these leaked questions have also been identified and arrested. Two individuals associated with coaching institutes have also been arrested for obtaining these leaked question papers from the above experts," the CBI spokesperson said.

The agency also said it conducted a money trail analysis during the probe and froze several bank accounts, bank lockers, and a demat account linked to the accused.

The NEET-UG paper leak issue triggered widespread protests and political debate over examination irregularities. The controversy intensified after a prolonged agitation, following which Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on July 25. The investigation into the case is still ongoing.