NEET-UG 2026 paper leak: CBI arrests Pune teacher; total arrests reach 11

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 23, 2026: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Pune-based teacher in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, taking the total number of arrests so far to 11.

The accused, identified as Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, was engaged by the National Testing Agency (NTA) as an expert for preparing the Physics paper for the NEET-UG 2026 examination. She is currently employed at Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala in Pune.

According to the CBI, Havaldar was taken into custody after questioning revealed her alleged involvement in leaking examination questions to students. Investigators said she had full access to the Physics question papers and had shared several questions with co-accused Manisha Mandhare, who was arrested earlier on May 16.

“The questions shared by her matched the Physics questions that appeared in the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper sets,” the agency said in a statement.

The CBI said the case has so far led to the arrest of 11 individuals from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Latur and Ahilyanagar.

Earlier, the agency had arrested PV Kulkarni, who was allegedly involved in setting the Chemistry paper, and Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, who allegedly had access to Zoology and Botany question papers.

Investigators also alleged that Kulkarni, along with Manisha Waghmare, conducted special coaching sessions for students at his residence in Pune. During these sessions, he allegedly dictated questions, answer options and correct answers, which students copied into notebooks. The questions reportedly matched the actual examination paper.

The CBI further claimed that Mandhare was the “actual source” behind the leakage of Chemistry and Biology papers.