NEET-UG 2026 paper leak: ‘Mastermind’ biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare arrested, ‘was appointed by NTA as expert’

After arresting Pune-based chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested another mastermind behind the 'leak' of NEET-UG 2026 examination questions.

The key accused was identified as Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior botany teacher from Pune, Maharashtra. She was arrested in Delhi on the basis of questioning of alleged kingpin PV Kulkarni and other accused in the paper leak case, officials told PTI.

Mandhare, a biology lecturer, was part of the National Testing Agency's (NTA) paper-setting committee for NEET-UG held on May 3, officials said. She allegedly leaked biology questions of the NEET examination.

She was involved in the NEET UG 2026 Examination process and appointed by NTA as an expert, news agency ANI also reported.

According to reports, Mandhare had complete access to the Botony and Zoology question papers.

Sharing further details, officials told ANI that in April 2026, Mandhare had mobilised prospective NEET examination candidates through Manisha Wagmare of Pune, who was arrested on May 14, and conducted special coaching classes for these students at her Pune residence.

It was alleged that Mandhare dictated leaked questions and responses to select students and took lakhs of rupees as fee.

"During these classes, she explained and disclosed various questions from Botany and Zoology subjects and made the students note down the same in their notebooks and also mark in their text books," officials said.

They added, "Majority of these questions tallied with the actual question paper of NEET UG 2026 Examination held on 03-05-2026."

Exploiting his privileged access to confidential material, Kulkarni allegedly hosted special coaching classes at his house in the last week of April and dictated to his students questions, options and answers which appeared in the NEET UG paper on May 3, PTI reported.

"During the last week of April, 2026, he had mobilised students, with the help of another accused namely Manisha Waghmare who was arrested on May 14 by CBI," a spokesperson said in a statement.

Students allegedly paid several lakh rupees to attend the sessions where they wrote the questions down in their notebooks and later "tallied exactly" with the actual NEET-UG paper conducted on May 3, the spokesperson said.

So far, nine accused have been arrested in this case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune and Ahliyanagar.

Out of these, five accused have already been produced before the court and taken into seven days police custody remand for detailed interrogation.

Other two accused who were arrested on Friday were produced before the court in Pune and shifted to Delhi after taking Transit Remand. They are being produced before the Delhi court.

In the last 24 hours, the CBI also conducted searches at six locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents, Laptops, bank statements and mobile phones.

A detailed analysis of the seized items is going on.

Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the test, which was administered by the NTA across the country.

According to the NTA, information regarding alleged malpractice was received on the evening of May 7, four days after the exam was held.

Several suicide cases have come forward following the alleged "paper leak" and the subsequent cancelling of the exam.

The NTA said the inputs were escalated to central agencies the following morning for "independent verification and necessary action."