In a major development in the ongoing NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)on Saturday arrested another high-profile professor from Pune in connection with the leak.
The latest arrest involves Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior botany professor from a reputed college in Pune, who was taken into custody in Delhi following intense interrogation.
This follows the arrest of the primary suspect, P V Kulkarni, a retired chemistry lecturer, who has been identified as a key source behind the nationwide examination leak.
According to reports by The Indian Express, the CBI has formally requested the Ministry of Education to provide a list of all professors and their office staff involved in setting the question papers on behalf of the National Testing Agency (NTA) to identify potential insider collusion.
After getting the list of all the professors and their office staff, the CBI is scanning their phone records and trying to find a link between the six arrested accused and any of them, The Indian Express reported.
Secret Tuitions, Paper Postponement, and Demands for MoE Resignation
Detailing the modus operandi, a CBI spokesperson told the Indian Express that Mandhare “was involved in the NEET-UG 2026 examination process and was appointed by the NTA as an expert. She had complete access to the Botany and Zoology question papers”.
The agency official revealed that in April 2026, “she had mobilised prospective NEET examination candidates through arrested Manisha Wagmare of Pune and conducted special coaching classes for these students at her Pune residence”
The investigation highlighted how closely the leaked material matched the final test. “During these special classes, she explained and disclosed various questions from Botany and Zoology subjects and made the students note down the same in their notebooks and also mark them in their textbooks,” the spokesperson added, confirming that “the majority of these questions tallied with the actual question paper of NEET-UG 2026 Examination held on May 3”.
Similarly, an official noted that Kulkarni “was involved in the examination process on behalf of the NTA. He had access to the question papers, and he had organised special coaching classes with the help of Waghmare at his Pune residence… in which students were allegedly mobilised and taught the leaked material”.
Following nationwide searches across six locations, the central agency is conducting a “detailed analysis of the seized items” including laptops and financial records
The revelation of the breach which impacted over 22 lakh medical aspirants, forced the NTA to take the drastic step of cancelling the May 3 test entirely. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan subsequently announced that a comprehensive nationwide re-examination has been scheduled for Sunday, June 21, 2026.
However, the systemic failure and overall increase in the number of paper leaks in the past decade has triggered a massive political fallout against the NDA government.
Representatives from the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged a massive demonstration at Teen Murti Circle in New Delhi on Saturday, hitting the streets against Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The Congress party has escalated its political attack on the ruling government, demanding the immediate resignation of the Minister of Education (MoE), Dharmendra Pradhan over the compromised security protocols, arguing that the administration has left the future of millions of students in complete limbo.
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