The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested another "paper leak mastermind" Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior botany teacher from Pune. As per CBI, the accused was the mastermind behind the Biology question paper leak.
Manisha Mandhare was appointed by the NTA as an expert on the NEET-UG 2026 examination process. Consequently, she had full access to the Botany and Zoology question papers. The investigation revealed that during April 2026, she connected several NEET candidates through Manisha Waghmare of Pune, who was already arrested on May 14, said CBI.
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. Majority of these questions tallied with the actual question paper of NEET UG 2026 held on May 3. In the last 24 hours, CBI has also conducted searches at six locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents, Laptops, bank statements and mobile phones.
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 yesterday have produced before the court in Pune and shifted to Delhi after taking Transit Remand. They are being produced before the Delhi court.
CBI has also intensified searches for two more associates of "paper leak kingpin" PV Kulkarni for their alleged involvement in NEET paper leak. According to sources, two more lecturers, along with PV Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare, played a key role in the paper leak. The CBI is conducting raids in Pune and Latur in search of the lecturers. PV Kulkarni, the mastermind behind the NEET paper leak was arrested on Friday, May 15 in Pune. He will be produced in a CBI court today after being granted transit remand.
Who is PV Kulkarni? How did he gain access to NEET papers
PV Kulkarni was a chemistry teacher at Dayanand College for the past 28 years. He served as a chemistry professor and later as principal. He retired from the position about four years ago. During his tenure, he was also associated with Pune-based organisation Dynamic Entrance Examination Performance Enhancement and Research (DEEPER), that worked in various fields, including education. After retirement, he used to teach chemistry in various coaching classes as a freelancer.
NTA connection
As per sources, Kulkarni had been working as a chemistry expert on a contract basis for the National Testing Agency for the past two years. He was reportedly one of the professors who prepared the chemistry paper for NEET 2026. Investigating agencies suspect that this is why he gained access to the exam paper.
What is the Pune connection?
Manisha, the second accused arrested in this case, is a Pune resident and used to connect students to Dhananjay Lokhande and PV Kulkarni.
How was NEET paper leaked?
According to sources, Kulkarni came to Pune in the last week of April, before the NEET exam, and took an online class under the name "Raj Coaching Classes." Investigating agencies claim that in this class, he gave students some mock questions, which were later found in the NEET 2026 exam.
How the NEET paper leak came to light
According to the Latur police, some parents had lodged complaints alleging that 42 questions from a mock test conducted by a coaching institute completely matched the questions in the NEET UG exam held on May 3.
The police then investigated a reputed private coaching institute following a written complaint submitted by the parent of a student. The complaint claims that 42 questions asked in the mock test matched exactly with those in the actual NEET examination. A senior police officer from Latur said the CBI was informed about the probe leading to the unmasking of the "kingpin" PV Kulkarni.
Also Read : NEET paper leak: CBI nabs kingpin PV Kulkarni, a Pune professor who leaked questions in coaching class
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