NEET paper leak: CBI arrests Pune botany teacher who NTA appointed as expert

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested another alleged mastermind in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, identifying her as the source of leaked Biology questions in the medical entrance examination.

The accused, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior Botany teacher from Pune, Maharashtra, was arrested in Delhi after questioning by the agency. According to the CBI, Mandhare was associated with the NEET-UG 2026 examination process and had been appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) as an expert, giving her access to Botany and Zoology question papers, news agency ANI reported.



Investigators alleged that during April 2026, she mobilised prospective NEET candidates through Manisha Wagmare of Pune, who had already been arrested on May 14. The CBI said Mandhare conducted special coaching classes for students at her Pune residence, during which she allegedly disclosed several Botany and Zoology questions and asked students to note them down in notebooks and textbooks.

The agency said a majority of those questions matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper conducted on May 3 (now cancelled).

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Both the accused, Manisha Waghmare and PV Kulkarni, were produced before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. The court reserved its order on the CBI’s plea seeking 14-day custody of the two accused and is expected to pronounce the order at 5 pm.


The arrest comes a day after the CBI said it had arrested retired chemistry professor PV Kulkarni in Latur in connection with the paper leak case. Kulkarni, who spent over three decades in academia, was associated with the NTA as part of the panel involved in setting the question paper. The investigators have been examining the role of individuals involved in preparing the questions.

In the last 24 hours, the CBI said it had conducted searches at six locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents, laptops, bank statements and mobile phones. The agency said detailed analysis of the seized material is under way.

So far, nine accused have been arrested in the case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune and Ahilyanagar. Five accused have already been sent to seven days’ police custody for interrogation, while two others arrested in Pune were produced before a local court and later shifted to Delhi on transit remand.

The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled to take place on June 21.