The CBI has filed a chargesheet naming thirteen individuals in a paper leak conspiracy. NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has concluded that the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was the result of a well-coordinated, multi-state criminal conspiracy in which confidential question papers were leaked by National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts and circulated through a network of middlemen to candidates in return for large sums of money.

In a chargesheet filed before the Special CBI Court at Delhi's Rouse Avenue, the agency has named 13 accused, including three NTA-appointed subject experts, alleging they exploited their official roles to illegally access the examination papers before the test and pass them on through a chain of intermediaries. The three experts named are Botany specialist Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, Chemistry expert Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni and Physics expert Manisha Sanjay Havaldar.

According to the CBI, they leaked confidential NEET-UG 2026 questions, which were subsequently circulated among coaching operators and brokers before reaching candidates. The accused have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The agency said its investigation uncovered a well-defined supply chain linking the NTA experts to middlemen and coaching operators who allegedly distributed the leaked papers to candidates for money. Apart from the three NTA experts, the chargesheet names Tejas Shah, Shivraj Motegaonkar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhananjay Lokhande, Shubham Khairnar, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Vikas Biwal.

The CBI alleged that each played a specific role in facilitating the leak, coordinating candidates or handling financial transactions. According to the chargesheet, forensic examination of seized mobile phones, pen drives and other electronic devices recovered PDF and image files containing leaked NEET-UG 2026 questions.

Investigators alleged that the files were exchanged through Telegram, WhatsApp and other messaging applications several days before the examination. The CBI claimed that digital evidence helped reconstruct the route through which the leaked papers moved across multiple states and accused.

The agency alleged that Mangilal Biwal received the leaked questions from co-accused Yash Yadav via Telegram. As part of the arrangement, Biwal allegedly handed over his original Class X and XII certificates along with a signed blank cheque as security to one of Yadav's associates.