The CBI chargesheet on the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak describes a multi-state conspiracy involving 13 accused, including three NTA subject experts in Botany, Chemistry and Physics. Investigators say the experts misused access to the confidential section, copied and memorised questions, then passed them to intermediaries and coaching centres, raising serious concerns over NTA’s exam security and oversight.
A CHARGESHEET has been filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the NEET-UG paper leak case, explaining how the alleged leak took place and who was involved. The CBI described the paper leak as a well-organised, multi-state conspiracy involving several people in the system. The chargesheet mentions National Testing Agency (NTA)-appointed subject experts, coaching-linked individuals, middlemen, and candidates.
The chargesheet was filed before the Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue in New Delhi on July 28, 2026. As per the agency, a total of 13 accused were named, among whom three were subject experts associated with Botany, Chemistry, and Physics. These three experts allegedly misused their official positions and accessed confidential information for monetary gains before passing it on to intermediaries, who then allegedly exchanged the information for money.
The agency has cited provisions against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
According to the CBI, the three NTA subject experts — Chemistry expert Prahalad Vithalrao Kulkarni, Botany expert Manisha Mandhare, and Physics expert Manisha Havaldar — used different methods to take confidential information about the questions out of the agency’s office. The main reason why they were allegedly able to do this was because they were not frisked while entering or leaving the confidential section.
These experts were given plain sheets of paper to take inside the confidential section of the NTA for rough work or notes while translating the NEET papers. These experts, including Kulkarni, Mandhare and Havaldar, allegedly noted some questions on these pieces of paper, while they memorised others and later returned to their hotel rooms to write the questions down. As per reports by NDTV, these questions were later allegedly dictated during special private coaching sessions, where students were asked to write them down.
The chargesheet also mentioned that there was no dedicated live CCTV monitoring control room, because of which whatever these officers were allegedly doing inside the confidential room remained unnoticed. “There was no practice of checking/frisking of experts during entry/exit from the confidential section at NTA. For easier questions, an expert could simply remember them and write them down in a book once he returned to his hotel room at the end of the day. Accused PV Kulkarni (A-2) did back-translation work for three sets of questions (135 questions in total) from 31.03.2026 to 02.04.2026, i.e., over a period of 3 days,” the chargesheet stated, as mentioned by NDTV.
The investigators recovered question papers, PDF files, photographs, and other documents from mobile phones, pen drives and other digital devices. The agency has alleged that the leaked questions were circulated through Telegram, WhatsApp, and other messaging platforms several days before the examination. After considering these findings, the CBI said that the paper leak was a coordinated incident that had been planned beforehand and was not a spontaneous incident.
After the questions were allegedly written down, the leaked questions were passed on to intermediaries and coaching centres, who would then allegedly select candidates willing to pay for the question papers. The investigators said that the questions were dictated and students were asked to memorize and handwrite them during coaching sessions. During raids and searches, some of these handwritten notes were reportedly recovered by the agency.
The searches conducted during the investigation resulted in the seizure of several digital and communication devices, documents, and other materials. The agency said forensic imaging and analysis of the seized material helped investigators reconstruct the alleged movement of the leaked examination material. A total of 13 accused have been arrested in the case, including the three NTA subject experts and individuals allegedly connected with coaching institutes and the distribution of the leaked questions.
The case has since raised questions over the security arrangements followed by the NTA while preparing and handling examination papers. The NEET-UG 2026 examination was held on May 3, 2026, but was later cancelled on May 12, 2026, following allegations of a paper leak. A re-examination for all candidates was conducted on June 21, 2026, but the issue did not end there as questions continued to be raised over the examination process.
Further, the alleged involvement of insiders in the chargesheet has raised questions over safeguards surrounding the confidentiality and movement of question papers. The investigation into the alleged network and the role of other individuals is continuing, while the allegations made in the chargesheet remain subject to the final judgment of the court.
(Edited by Harsh Pandey)
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