The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested a biology lecturer who was part of the National Testing Agency's (NTA) paper-setting committee for the 2026 NEET-UG entrance examination held on May 3, officials said.
The latest accused to be arrested has been identified as Manisha Mandhare, a Botany professor. She was arrested in Delhi after being interrogated by the CBI at its headquarters, officials said. Mandhare has been described by the CBI as "another mastermind who was the source for leak of NEET-UG 2026 Examination Biology questions."She was arrested on the basis of questioning of alleged kingpin PV Kulkarni, a retired Chemistry professor, and others arrested in the paper leak case, officials said.
Mandhare works at the Modern College of Arts Science and Commerce in Pune. According to sources from the educational institution, she has contributed to question paper-setting for NEET on behalf of the NTA for the past five to six years.
MANDHARE HELPED SET THE PAPER
Mandhare had helped set the Botany and Zoology Questions for the 2026 NEET question paper, the sources added. She was allegedly appointed by the NTA as an expert, officials said.
As such, Mandhare had complete access to the Botony and Zoology question papers, according to the CBI. She allegedly leaked the questions to select NEET aspirants in April 2026 during secret coaching classes conducted in Pune.
It has been claimed by the central agency that Mandhare dictated the leaked questions and responses to them and took lakhs of rupees as fee.
"During these classes she explained and disclosed various questions from Botany and Zoology subjects and made the students note down the same in their notebooks and also mark in their text books," the CBI stated.
Most of these questions tallied with the questions that appeared in the examination on May 3, the probe agency added.
It added that the candidates for the special coaching sessions were mobilised by Mandhare with help from Manisha Wagmare, another accused, who was arrested on May 14.
"During April 2026 she had mobilized prospective NEET examination candidates through Manisha Wagmare of Pune (already arrested on 14-05-26) and conducted special coaching classes for these students at her Pune residence," the CBI said, referring to Mandhare's alleged role in the question paper leak scheme.
SECRET COACHING SESSIONS
Notably, the alleged modus operandi used by Mandhare was the same as the one purportedly used by Kulkarni to leak Chemistry questions.
He, too, was aided by Waghmare in mobilising NEET candidates for secret coaching sessions at his residence in Pune, per the CBI. Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI on Friday. For years, he was part of the panels that were involved in setting the NEET question paper.Kulkarni and Waghmare were produced before a court in Delhi on Saturday. The CBI sought their custody for 14 days, submitting before the court that the accused may have to be taken to different locations, as part of the probe, in order to unearth the larger conspiracy.