The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior Botany professor from Pune, Maharashtra, for her alleged role in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case.
Mandhare, appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) as an expert, had full access to Botany and Zoology question papers.
Investigators revealed that in April 2026, Mandhare mobilized prospective candidates through Manisha Wagmare of Pune (arrested earlier on May 14) and conducted special coaching sessions at her residence. During these classes, she disclosed questions from Botany and Zoology, instructing students to note them down in notebooks and mark them in textbooks. A majority of these questions matched the actual NEET-UG paper held on May 3.
In the past 24 hours, the CBI has conducted searches at six locations nationwide, seizing incriminating documents, laptops, bank statements, and mobile phones. Detailed analysis of the seized material is underway.
So far, nine accused have been arrested across Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahliyanagar. Five have been remanded to seven days of police custody for interrogation, while two others arrested yesterday were shifted to Delhi after transit remand and are being produced before the Delhi court.
The widening probe underscores the scale of the scandal, raising serious concerns about examination integrity and accountability.
