ON JULY 28, 2026 the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against 13 accused in the NEET-UG paper leak controversy before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. The Economic Offences Wing of the CBI filled the chargesheet and it will be placed before the Special Fast Track Court on July 29, 2026. The investigation team submitted a comprehensive chargesheet against all 13 arrested individuals involved in the medical examination leak controversy. 

This development came after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) led students' protest at Jantar Mantar demanding former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET paper leak cases. 

The accused have been charged with destruction of evidence, criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, 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. 

See also: NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak? Rajasthan SOG Probe Finds Over 100 Questions of the Exam Similar to ‘Guess Paper’

NEET-UG 2026 Paper leak: What are the charges?

All the accused are in judicial custody. According to the chargesheet filed by the CBI, the accused have been arrested under several sections such as Sections 315(5), 318(4), 61(2), 238 and 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. They have also been charged under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, besides Sections 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

On May 12, 2026, the CBI registered the case on the basis of the complaint by the Department of Higher Education under the Union Ministry of Education, alleging that confidential NEET-UG 2026 question papers were circulated on WhatsApp groups before the commencement of the examination. The CBI registered an FIR the same day and launched a nationwide investigation. 

See also: After NEET Controversy, Rahul Gandhi Slams NTA Alleging Sociology Paper Leak in UGC-NET

The CBI conducted searches at 92 locations across various states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and other states. The investigation team seized digital devices, communication equipment and documents, and carried out forensic analysis of the material collected.

NEET UG Paper Leak: Subject Experts Among Accused

Among those whose names were included in the chargesheet, there were three subject experts from the National Testing Agency (NTA), several alleged middlemen, and two persons linked to coaching institutes. 

The agency said that “A total of 13 accused have been arrested in the NEET UG paper leak case which included three 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 13 accused of the NEET paper leak have been identified as  Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Subham Khairnar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar,  Dhananjay Lokhande, Prahalad Kulkarni, Tejas Harshad Kumar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Mandhare, and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar.

(Proofread by Khushboo Singh)

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