NEET-2026 Paper Leak Row: Modus Operandi Revealed; Accused Shared Questions Through Private Home Tuitions

New Delhi/Pune: In a major breakthrough in the NEET-2026 paper leak investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior Botany professor from Pune, who is suspected to be one of the key contributors to the leak racket.

Mandhare, who was set to retire in six months, was arrested from Delhi. She had been working as a senior Botany teacher at Modern College in Pune for the past 24 years and resided in the Rajas Society area of Katraj. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had appointed her as a subject expert, giving her direct access to the Botany and Zoology question papers for the medical entrance examination.

According to the CBI, Mandhare allegedly misused her official position by breaching confidentiality and sharing specific questions from the NEET papers with a select group of students through private tuitions conducted at her residence. This has severely undermined the credibility of one of India’s most important competitive examinations.

Modus Operandi

The investigation has revealed that in April 2026, Mandhare, along with Manisha Waghmare from Pune (against whom action was initiated on May 14), organised special “coaching classes” at her home for a chosen group of students. During these sessions, she reportedly dictated questions expected to appear in the exam and even marked them in the students’ textbooks.

Shockingly, a vast majority of the questions in the actual NEET examination held on May 3, 2026, matched precisely with those provided by Mandhare, the CBI probe has established.

This modus operandi mirrors the pattern earlier observed in the case of PV Kulkarni, pointing to a well-organised network exploiting insiders with access to question papers.

Nationwide Raids and Arrests

Over the past 24 hours, the CBI conducted raids at six key locations across the country, seizing laptops, mobile phones, bank account statements, and several incriminating documents.

With Mandhare’s arrest, the total number of accused in the case has reached nine. The arrested individuals hail from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar.

In judicial proceedings on Saturday, a Delhi court remanded five of the accused to police custody for seven days. Two accused arrested in Pune were brought to Delhi under transit remand and produced before the court.

Investigation Underway

The CBI is continuing its probe to determine the full extent of the racket and identify all individuals involved. The scandal has sparked widespread outrage across the education sector, with students, parents, and educators demanding strict action against those who have allegedly tampered with the futures of hundreds of thousands of aspirants.

Further arrests and revelations are expected as the investigation progresses.

Also Read: NEET-2026 Paper Leak Shock: Gang Split Subjects To Avoid Getting Caught