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The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has made a crucial decision regarding the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case. The court has placed the main accused, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, in the custody of the CBI for a period of 14 days. According to investigators, Mandhare, a senior teacher from Maharashtra, was working as an expert associated with the National Testing Agency. She was teaching at the 'Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce' located in Pune's Shivajinagar area.

Direct Access to Confidential Biology Questions

The CBI revealed that Manisha Mandhare was part of the team responsible for preparing the botany and zoology question papers for the NEET UG 2026 examination. Given her significant role in the examination process, she had direct access to highly confidential biology questions prior to the exam scheduled for May 3, 2026, which she allegedly exploited.

Identifying Students Through Manisha Waghmare

Investigators claim that during April 2026, Mandhare identified select NEET candidates through another accused, Manisha Waghmare, who has already been arrested by the police.

Special Coaching Sessions at Home

According to the CBI, special coaching sessions for students were conducted at Mandhare's residence in Pune. During these sessions, students were instructed to write essential botany and zoology questions in their notebooks and mark them in their textbooks. Officials noted that many of the questions provided by Mandhare closely matched those on the actual NEET UG 2026 exam paper.

Allegations of Financial Transactions in the Leak

The investigative agency believes that the entire paper leak operation involved insiders from the department, intermediaries, and certain candidates who paid substantial amounts to obtain the leaked questions. It is important to note that the CBI officially registered an FIR and commenced its investigation on May 12, 2026, following a complaint received from the higher education department under the Ministry of Education.