NEET paper leak case: How ‘kingpin’ Kulkarni and Manisha orchestrated the conspiracy?
NEET paper leak case: In his order, Special CBI Judge Ajay Gupta referred to the arguments presented by the CBI, the case diary, and remand papers, which reveal the complete picture of the NEET UG 2026 paper leak conspiracy.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsNEET paper leak case: In the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has secured 10 days of remand for P. V. Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare. The agency produced both accused before the Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday and sought 14 days of custody.
In his order, Special CBI Judge Ajay Gupta referred to the arguments presented by the CBI, the case diary, and remand papers, which reveal the complete picture of the NEET UG 2026 paper leak conspiracy.
NEET paper leak case
The CBI told the court that the accused P. V. Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare are the key accused in the alleged paper leak network. According to the agency, the NEET 2026 paper leak started with them, and through them, the paper first reached the market.
As per the case diary presented by the CBI, Kulkarni was part of the paper-setting system linked to the NTA. The agency stated that he had access to confidential examination material. It is alleged that he misused this access and, along with Manisha Waghmare and others, leaked the question paper.
Huge sums collected, evidence destroyed
The CBI told the court that Kulkarni not only leaked the paper but also collected large amounts of money in exchange for providing questions and answers to selected students.
The agency claimed that the money was later deposited into bank accounts. It also alleged that after the exam, Kulkarni destroyed handwritten material to eliminate evidence.
Details of the case emerge
According to the CBI, Manisha Waghmare was an important link in the entire network. The agency claims that on April 27, 2026, several days before the exam, she had already provided the NEET UG 2026 question paper and answers to some accused persons, including accused Dhananjay.
Manisha was allegedly in contact with other accused persons and a government employee linked to the NTA. According to the investigation agency, the paper first came out through the network of Kulkarni and Manisha, after which it spread to different people.
How the paper leak network spread
According to the CBI investigation, the accused Dhananjay Lokhande received the paper from Manisha Waghmare. It was then passed on to Shubham Khairnar, and from there to other accused persons including Yash Yadav, Mangilal Khatik, Vikas Biwal, and Dinesh Biwal.
An investigation conducted by the Rajasthan SOG revealed that several questions appearing in the actual exam on May 3 had already been leaked and circulated earlier. It is alleged that these accused persons leaked and circulated the questions. The agency claims the entire operation was carried out for money.
Bigger names may emerge?
In court, the CBI said this was not the work of just a few individuals but an organized syndicate. According to the agency, Kulkarni and Manisha are still not revealing the names of all the people involved in the network.
The CBI told the court that several digital pieces of evidence, financial transactions, and other links are yet to be examined. The accused also needs to be taken to different parts of the country for questioning, making remand necessary.
During the hearing, P. V. Kulkarni’s lawyer opposed the demand for 14 days of remand. The lawyer argued that Kulkarni had a contract with the NTA to prepare exam papers.
The NTA gets papers set by many individuals and collects questions from them, but nobody knows whose paper or which questions the NTA will ultimately include in the actual exam. Selecting the final questions is solely the responsibility of the NTA.
The lawyer further argued that no one from the NTA has been arrested so far, so there is no justification for Kulkarni’s arrest. He also claimed that the CBI has no concrete evidence against Manisha and that she was illegally detained by Pune Police for 24 hours before her arrest. The lawyer said the agency already has sufficient material, and there is no need for extended police custody.
What the court ordered
After hearing arguments from both the CBI and the defense, the court observed that the matter is extremely serious and that the investigation is still at an early but crucial stage. The court stated that questioning both accused is necessary to reach the entire network and identify and arrest the remaining accused persons.
Keeping this in view, the court sent P. V. Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare to 10 days of police custody. Both will be produced before the court again on May 25.
Also Read: NEET-UG 2026 paper leak row: CBI identifies another mastermind, key accused arrested