NEW DELHI, May 20: A Delhi court on Wednesday remanded five accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case to judicial custody till June 2, while extending the CBI remand of another accused, Shubham Khairnar, for further interrogation in connection with the widening investigation.
Special Judge Ajay Gupta approved the CBI’s plea seeking judicial custody of Mangilal Khatik, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Yash Yadav and Dhananjay Lokhande, who were arrested from different parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Maharashtra.
The court also granted the central agency five additional days to question accused Shubham Khairnar, stating that his custodial interrogation was necessary to trace other persons linked to the alleged examination leak racket.
According to the CBI, Khairnar is suspected to have circulated NEET-UG 2026 question papers to several individuals in exchange for money. The agency informed the court that further questioning was required to identify additional accused, examine digital devices, analyse communication records and track financial transactions associated with the alleged network.
Investigators said the probe was focused on exposing the larger conspiracy behind the leak and tracing the origin of the confidential examination material. The agency also told the court that Khairnar would be taken to different locations, including Nasik in Maharashtra, as part of the ongoing investigation.
The CBI further stated that the accused needed to be questioned regarding locations where examination questions were allegedly disclosed to selected candidates before the test.
Earlier on May 14, the court had sent five accused, including Khairnar, to seven-day CBI custody after observing that the allegations pointed towards the involvement of an organised syndicate engaged in leaking confidential examination papers for financial gain.
A day later, accused Dhananjay Lokhande was also sent to six-day CBI custody, with the court stressing the need to uncover the full conspiracy, identify more suspects and secure evidence connected to the case.
Meanwhile, the CBI on Wednesday sought specimen signatures of accused Manisha Mandhare and Shivraj Motegaonkar to further strengthen the investigation.
So far, the agency has arrested 10 persons in connection with the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
Among those arrested are alleged mastermind Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni and Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, who were sent to 10-day CBI custody on May 16.
The agency also arrested biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare, who was reportedly associated with the National Testing Agency’s paper-setting committee. She was remanded to 14-day CBI custody on May 17.
According to investigators, Waghmare conspired with a public servant linked to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and others to procure the question paper and answer key before the examination. The material was allegedly shared with several accused, including Lokhande, in return for huge monetary benefits.
The CBI alleged that alleged kingpin Kulkarni, described as a “subject expert”, along with Waghmare and others, distributed confidential exam material to selected candidates and received large sums of money in return.
Another accused, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, founder of Renukai Career Centre coaching institute in Latur, was arrested on May 17. The agency claimed he had received chemistry question papers and answers before the examination date as part of the conspiracy.
The court on May 18 sent him to nine-day CBI custody, observing that the investigation was still at a crucial preliminary stage.
The NEET (UG) 2026 examination, conducted on May 3 for admission to undergraduate medical courses across the country, was cancelled within two days following allegations of a massive paper leak.
The Central Government has since handed over the matter to the CBI for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities linked to the examination process.(KNC)
