CBI Files Chargesheet in NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak – 13 Arrested, NTA Experts Implicated

NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak – CBI Investigation and Chargesheet On May 3, 2026 , more than 22 lakh candidates sat for NEET UG 2026 across 5,432 centres. Within days, the NTA learned that a PDF containing hundreds of questions had been circulated before the exam, many of which matched the actual paper. Massive student protests followed, prompting the Centre to hand the case to the CBI . After three months, the agency filed a chargesheet on July 28, 2026 against 13 accused in a fast‑track court. Key Developments Three NTA subject experts – Manisha Gurunath Mandhare (Biology), P.V. Kulkarni (Chemistry) and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (Physics) – are alleged to have leaked confidential questions. Intermediaries, coaching centres and a broker network across Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh distributed printed copies for cash. CBI recovered handwritten question sheets, digital images from phones, and Telegram chats showing price negotiations ranging from ₹12 lakh to ₹10 lakh per paper. Evidence included CCTV footage of printing in Pune and a computer‑shop in Rajasthan, bank transaction trails, and forensic analysis of seized devices. The court is slated to take cognisance of the charges on August 10, 2026 . Important Facts The leak operated through multiple channels rather than a single hand‑off. For Biology, NTA expert Mandhare allegedly shared questions via her own coaching classes. In Chemistry, Kulkarni passed questions to a network that produced 132 handwritten items, 111 of which matched the official set. The Physics leak involved Havaldar receiving ₹25,000 and a box of mangoes from Tejas Shah , who later destroyed the notebook; digital forensics recovered the images from phones. Distribution moved from Pune to Nashik, then to Rajasthan. The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Telegram — encrypted messag