A special fast-track court has given the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) three additional days to submit the remaining annexures for its extensive chargesheet in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak investigation. The court noted the absence of witness statements and document lists when the 20,000-page chargesheet, naming 13 accused, was initially filed.
The CBI explained that the records are voluminous and require scanning before they can be provided to the accused. The court has now listed the chargesheet for consideration on August 3.
Key Accusations and Evidence
The chargesheet details allegations of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and destruction of evidence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It also includes charges of criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act and offenses under the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
The agency has cited a substantial body of evidence, including:
- 360 witnesses
- 422 documents
- 43 material objects
- Digital forensic analysis reports
- Handwriting expert opinions
- Academic experts' views on the leaked question papers
Individuals Charged in the Case
Among the 13 accused are three subject experts from the National Testing Agency (NTA): PV Kulkarni (chemistry), Manisha Gurunath Mandhare (biology), and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (physics). The chargesheet also names individuals linked to coaching centers and middlemen, including Manoj Shirure, a doctor from Latur; Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a physics faculty member at Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy in Pune; and Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar from a coaching center in Latur.
Investigation Timeline and Impact
The CBI took over the investigation on May 12, following widespread allegations of irregularities and a paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 examination, which was originally held on May 3. The examination was subsequently cancelled, and a re-examination was conducted on June 21.
Following the registration of the First Information Report (FIR), the CBI conducted extensive raids at 92 locations across multiple states, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. The two-month probe aimed to trace the entire conspiracy, from the source of the leak to the candidates who benefited from it, identifying the full chain of individuals involved.