NEET UG paper leak case: CBI files charge sheet against 13 accused, 3 NTA experts also included

New Delhi, 28 July. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against 13 accused in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court in the NEET UG exam paper leak case. This charge sheet has been filed by the Economic Offenses Wing of CBI.

According to CBI sources, the charge sheet will be presented before the special fast track court set up to hear paper leak cases. All the 13 accused arrested in the case are currently in judicial custody.

Chargesheet has been filed against these accused

Among the 13 accused against whom the Central Investigation Agency has filed the charge sheet, Manisha Mandhare (NTA Biology expert), Prahlad Vitthalrao Kulkarni (NTA Chemistry expert), Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (NTA Physics expert), Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar (owner of RCC Coaching Institute, Latur) and Tejas Harshadkumar Shah (Physics Faculty and COO at APMA Coaching Institute, Pune) besides eight middlemen – Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhananjay Nivrutti Lokhande, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar, Yash Yadav, Manglilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Dr. Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure.

in the charge sheet 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 important evidence included

The investigating agency has included 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 important evidence in its charge sheet. He says that during the investigation of the case, the entire chain of paper leak has been traced. The agency has also claimed that the source of the leaked question paper and the people who delivered it to the candidates have been identified.

Action has been taken against the accused under criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, destruction of evidence, Prevention of Corruption Act and Public Examination Act, 2024. In this matter, a case has been registered under sections 315(5), 318(4), 61(2), 238 and 303(2) of BNS 2023. Apart from this, action has also been taken under Section 13(2) and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. A case has also been registered under Section 3, 4, 5 and 11 along with Section 10 of the Public Examination Act, 2024.

FIR was registered on May 12

According to CBI, this matter came to light after allegations of paper leak in the NEET UG examination held on May 3, 2026. After this, the Higher Education Department of the Central Government gave a complaint to the CBI on 12 May 2026. On the basis of this complaint, FIR was registered on the same day and investigation was started. CBI had formed several teams of 72 officers and eight cyber forensic experts for the investigation.

Bank accounts and demat accounts of the accused were frozen.

The agency raided 92 places in several states including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. During the raid, CBI recovered mobile phones, laptops, digital devices, documents and other important evidence. Forensic investigation of all these was done.

According to CBI, the first arrest in this case was made on May 13, 2026. A total of 13 people have been arrested so far. These also include three subject experts of Chemistry, Biology and Physics associated with the National Testing Agency i.e. NTA.

Many middlemen have also been identified in the investigation. It is alleged that these people obtained the leaked question paper and passed it on to the candidates. CBI has also arrested people associated with two coaching institutes. They are accused of buying and using leaked paper.

Digital evidence examined

CBI has also frozen the bank accounts, bank locker and a demat account of the accused during the investigation. The agency has received digital forensic report, handwriting expert opinion and reports of subject experts. The agency says that these reports have confirmed that leaked questions were disseminated even before the examination.

Further action may be taken on the basis of forensic report

The agency says that the investigation of the case is still going on. Further action can be taken on the basis of forensic analysis and new facts emerging. After the charge sheet is filed, the case will now be heard in a special fast track court. The judicial process will proceed on the basis of evidence and witnesses presented in the court.