NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak: CBI Arrests NTA-Appointed Expert in Physics Question Leak Case, 11th Arrest So Far

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested another key accused in connection with the alleged leak of Physics questions in the NEET-UG 2026 examination, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 11. 

The latest accused, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, was working at Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala in Pune, Maharashtra, and had been appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) as an expert involved in the NEET-UG 2026 examination process. 

Physics Questions Allegedly Shared Before Exam

According to the CBI, Havaldar had complete access to the Physics question papers during the examination process. Investigators alleged that in April 2026, she shared several Physics questions with co-accused Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, who was arrested earlier on May 16.

The agency said the questions allegedly circulated by Havaldar later matched the Physics section of the NEET-UG 2026 paper sets, strengthening suspicions that confidential examination material had been leaked ahead of the exam.

Mandhare, a Botany teacher based in Pune, was also part of NTA’s NEET-UG 2026 expert panel.

Probe Expands Across Multiple Cities

As part of the investigation, the CBI has carried out searches at several locations across the country. During these raids, officials seized laptops, mobile phones, bank statements and other incriminating documents. The agency said forensic and detailed analysis of the seized material is currently underway.

The case was registered by the CBI on May 12, 2026, following a written complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education regarding the alleged paper leak.

Soon after the FIR was filed, special investigation teams were formed and searches were launched across multiple states. Several suspects were detained and questioned as investigators attempted to trace the source and spread of the leaked material.

So far, arrests have been made from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, Latur and Ahilyanagar. 

Leak May Involve Multiple Question Sets

The latest development comes amid growing concerns that the leak may not have been limited to just one set of examination papers.

The NTA had asked the CBI to specifically investigate whether Physics questions from NEET-UG 2026 were also leaked, after suspicions emerged that circulated “guess papers” may have originated from confidential backup question paper sets.

Investigators believe the leaked PDFs may have contained questions from multiple paper sets because of the unusually high number of solved questions being circulated before the examination.

Sources linked to the probe said the leaked Chemistry document alone reportedly carried 104 solved questions, nearly double the 45 Chemistry questions that appeared in the actual examination. This raised concerns that some material could have been taken from alternate or contingency paper sets prepared in case the main paper was compromised.

Over 22 Lakh Students Appeared for NEET-UG

NEET-UG 2026 was conducted by the NTA on May 3 in pen-and-paper mode. More than 2.27 million candidates appeared for the medical entrance examination. The test consisted of 180 questions, 45 each from Physics and Chemistry, and 90 from Biology.

Among those arrested earlier in the case are Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, founder of a coaching centre in Latur, retired Chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni from Pune, and Botany teacher Manisha Mandhare. Investigators alleged that Chemistry and Biology questions had already been sold to students for amounts reaching up to ₹30 lakh at least a week before the examination.