Woman named Manisha Mandhare sent to 14 days of CBI custody in NEET paper leak case.

In a recent development, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior Botany teacher from Pune, has been sent to a 14-day custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by a Delhi court. Mandhare, who was appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is suspected to be one of the main conspirators behind the leak of the Biology question paper for the NEET exam. The CBI has also identified a Chemistry professor, P.V.

Kulkarni, as the mastermind behind this illegal activity. During the court proceedings, the CBI revealed that Mandhare is an expert in translating botany and zoology question papers. She was allegedly in cahoots with Kulkarni and another accused, Manisha Waghmare, and had provided the leaked question paper to another person named Shubham.

The CBI also stated that they are conducting investigations in various parts of the country and need to take Mandhare to different locations for further inquiries. The defence, on the other hand, argued that Mandhare's arrest was unlawful as she was arrested after sunset and brought to Delhi at 1 a.m. However, the court directed them to file an application regarding this matter.

The court also allowed Mandhare to meet her counsel for 15 minutes daily. According to the CBI, Mandhare had complete access to the Biology question paper as she was involved in the NEET-UG 2026 examination process and was appointed as an expert by the NTA. The investigative agency also revealed that Mandhare had conducted special coaching classes for prospective NEET candidates at her Pune residence in April 2026, with the help of Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested on May 14.

During these classes, Mandhare allegedly disclosed and explained various questions from the Biology paper and asked the students to note them down in their notebooks and textbooks. These questions were found to be similar to the ones in the actual NEET-UG 2026 exam, which was later canceled. In the last 24 hours, the CBI has conducted searches at six locations across the country and seized incriminating documents, laptops, bank statements, and mobile phones.

They are currently analyzing these items for further evidence. The case was registered on May 12, based on a written complaint by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, regarding the paper leak. So far, nine accused have been arrested from various locations, and two of them were produced before a court in Pune and later shifted to Delhi for further investigation.

The CBI has identified the middlemen who were involved in mobilizing students to attend these special coaching classes and pay large sums of money for the leaked question paper. The investigation is ongoing, and the CBI is determined to bring all those involved to justice.