By Anita Shukla, Senior correspondent
Mumbai, May 16: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has identified another key mastermind involved in the alleged leak of Biology questions for the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
A prime accused in this case Ms. Manisha Gurunath Mandre (a senior Botany teacher from Pune, Maharashtra) was arrested in Delhi following rigorous interrogation by the CBI.
The accused was associated with the NEET-UG 2026 examination process having been appointed as an ‘Expert’ by the National Testing Agency (NTA). She is alleged to have had complete access to the Botany and Zoology question papers.
During the investigation it came to light that in April 2026, the accused established contact with prospective NEET candidates through another co accused from Pune Manisha Waghmare (who had already been arrested on May 14, 2026).
Furthermore special coaching classes were conducted at Ms. Mandre’s residence in Pune during these sessions numerous questions from Botany and Zoology were allegedly disclosed discussed and dictated to the students. It also emerged that the candidates were instructed to transcribe these questions into their notebooks and mark them within their textbooks.
It was subsequently discovered that the majority of these questions matched verbatim with the actual question paper administered during the NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3, 2026.
Over the past 24 hour the CBI conducted raids at six different locations across the country, seizing various items including documents, laptops, bank statements, and mobile phones that could serve as crucial criminal evidence. The process of conducting a thorough analysis of the seized material is currently underway.
In connection with the alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 examination the CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) in this case on May 12, 2026, based on a written complaint submitted by the ‘Department of Higher Education’ an entity operating under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
To date a total of nine accused individuals have been arrested from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar. Of these five accused have already been produced before a competent court and remanded to police custody for seven days to facilitate intensive interrogation.
Two accused individuals who were arrested yesterday were produced before a court in Pune subsequently, following the grant of a transit remand they were transported to Delhi. They are currently being produced before a court in Delhi.
The investigation conducted thus far has revealed the alleged source of the leaked question papers for the Chemistry and Biology subjects as well as the roles played by intermediaries involved in organizing students who allegedly paid substantial sums to attend special coaching sessions where the actual examination questions were discussed.
The CBI stated that the investigation into this case is being conducted by specialized teams and reiterated its commitment to conducting a comprehensive, impartial and professional inquiry into the matter.
