The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a detailed chargesheet before the Special CBI Court at Delhi's Rouse Avenue, revealing that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was an organized, multi-state criminal conspiracy planned months in advance. According to the investigation, three National Testing Agency (NTA)-appointed subject experts—Manisha Gurunath Mandhare (Botany), Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni (Chemistry), and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (Physics)—allegedly abused their official positions within the confidential section to copy and reconstruct question papers during translation and proofreading assignments. The agency named 13 accused in total, including subject experts, coaching institute operators, intermediaries, and candidates, all of whom are currently in judicial custody.
The investigation highlighted critical security oversights within the NTA's confidential section that enabled the leak. The CBI noted a total absence of routine physical frisking, allowing experts to carry out hand-written question slips or note down content after work hours. Furthermore, security monitoring was severely compromised as the NTA lacked a dedicated live-feed CCTV control room, and its video backup was limited to 20 to 25 days. Because the confidential process concluded in early April and formal case registration occurred on May 12, crucial surveillance footage from the period of the leak could not be retrieved.
Once extracted, the confidential questions moved through a complex network of intermediaries via digital channels, including WhatsApp groups and Telegram chats. Forensic analysis of seized electronic devices recovered PDF files, question paper photographs, and call records that established a clear distribution trail. Additionally, the experts allegedly conducted special coaching sessions in Pune where students were dictated leaked questions, while some sets were sold through brokers for substantial sums. The agency has cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents, and 43 material objects to press charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Public Examinations Act, 2024.