CBI arrests mastermind behind NEET UG 2026 biology paper leak

NEW DELHI, May 16, 2026 :- The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested another key mastermind responsible for leaking the biology questions of the NEET UG 2026 examination.

Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior botany teacher from Pune, Maharashtra, was apprehended in Delhi following an intense interrogation. Mandhare had been appointed as an expert by the National Testing Agency for the examination process, granting her complete access to both the botany and zoology question papers. Investigative findings reveal that during April 2026, she mobilized prospective NEET candidates through Manisha Wagmare, who was arrested on May 14, 2026.

Mandhare then conducted specialized coaching sessions at her Pune residence, where she disclosed specific questions from the actual exam paper.

Students were instructed to note these questions down and mark them in their textbooks, which subsequently matched the official paper used during the exam on May 3, 2026.In tandem with the arrest, the central agency executed coordinated searches across six nationwide locations within the past 24 hours, recovering incriminating documents, laptops, mobile phones, and bank statements that are currently undergoing detailed forensic analysis.

This fast-paced investigation stems from a formal complaint lodged by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education on May 12, 2026, which prompted the formation of specialized central teams.

To date, nine individuals have been taken into custody from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahliyanagar. While five of the accused are already undergoing a seven-day police remand, two others arrested in Pune have been transferred to Delhi on transit remand for court presentation.

The ongoing probe has effectively traced the primary breach points for both the chemistry and biology papers, exposing a lucrative network of middlemen who charged candidates lakhs of rupees to attend illicit preparatory sessions where confidential exam questions were dictated.