NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against 13 arrested persons in connection with the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the NEET UG-2026 examination.
The accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), besides provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
The chargesheet, which was filed before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi, will be placed before a special fast-track court constituted to hear paper leak cases.
All the 13 accused persons -- Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Subham Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Prahalad Kulkarni, Tejas Harshad Kumar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Mandhare, and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar -- are in judicial custody, sources in the agency said.
The agency has cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects in the chargesheet.
The agency had registered a case in May based on a written complaint by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, regarding irregularities and allegations of paper leak in the medical examination which was held on May 3 for nearly 23 lakh medical aspirants across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad.
Following nationwide outrage and protests, the Centre cancelled the exam. The NTA conducted the NEET retest on June 21.
After registering the case, the CBI had formed multiple teams with 72 officers and conducted searches at 92 locations across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi among other states.
During the searches, the CBI seized incriminating material, including digital and communication devices and documents. Forensic imaging and analysis of the seized material has been carried out.
“A total of 13 accused have been arrested in the case which included three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts of Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Several middlemen who have sourced and distributed these leaked questions have also been identified and arrested,” the agency said in a statement.
“Two individuals associated with coaching institutes have also been arrested for obtaining these leaked question papers from the above experts. The money trail analysis was done, and several bank accounts, bank lockers and a demat account of the accused have been frozen.”
Digital forensic analysis reports, handwriting expert opinions and academic experts’ opinions regarding leaked questions have been obtained. These reports confirmed the role of the accused in circulation of leaked questions prior to the date of examination, the agency said.