New Delhi [India], September 30 (ANI): A Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday granted seven days to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a supplementary chargesheet in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case.
Special Judge Ajay Gupta granted the time sought by the probe agency and listed the matter for further hearing on October 7. The special fast-track court is hearing arguments on framing of charges against 13 accused already chargesheeted by the CBI in the case.
The CBI had earlier filed a chargesheet against 13 accused persons, and the court has taken cognisance of the chargesheet. The accused include Manisha Mandhare, Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar, Manisha Waghmare, Pralhad Kulkarni, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Tejas Harshad Shah, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Vikas Biwal.
The agency's chargesheet, filed in July, ran into around 20,000 pages and cited around 360 witnesses. The CBI has alleged that the leaked questions were extracted during the question-paper preparation and translation process and were subsequently circulated through different channels before the May 3 NEET-UG examination.
Meanwhile, the court is also dealing with the case of accused Sheshrav Bajrang Suryavanshi alias Raj Suryavanshi, who was arrested by the CBI on September 2, 2026.
The court had initially granted him two days of CBI custody on September 3, following which he was remanded to judicial custody on September 5. His judicial custody was extended on September 18, with the matter listed for his production before the court on September 30.
According to the CBI, Suryavanshi is allegedly a close associate of chargesheeted accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar. The agency has alleged that Suryavanshi arranged purported leaked NEET-UG 2026 question papers for candidates before the examination and collected money from candidates or their families in conspiracy with Khairnar.
The agency further alleged that Suryavanshi brought candidates to a house in Nanded, where the purported leaked questions were supplied to them. According to the CBI, he also collected the candidates' original educational documents and certificates as security for subsequent payment.
While seeking his continued judicial custody, the CBI had submitted that analysis of digital devices seized from various candidates was still underway. The agency had also said that Suryavanshi may need to be confronted with evidence and taken into custody again at a later stage during the investigation.
The CBI had argued that continued judicial custody was necessary to prevent alleged tampering with or destruction of evidence, influencing of witnesses and the possibility of the accused absconding.
The investigation has already led to arrests of several people across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and other locations. According to the CBI's chargesheet, investigators relied on forensic examination of mobile phones, deleted WhatsApp chats and PDF files to trace the alleged circulation of leaked questions.
The agency has alleged that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak involved a network of subject experts, coaching institute operators and intermediaries. The CBI has also alleged that questions were circulated through handwritten notes, photographs and messaging platforms before the examination.
The NEET-UG examination was conducted on May 3, 2026, with more than 22.7 lakh candidates appearing. Following allegations of a paper leak, the National Testing Agency cancelled the examination on May 12 and conducted a re-examination on June 21.
The court will now hear the matter on October 7, while arguments on framing of charges and the CBI's further investigation will proceed in accordance with the court's directions. (ANI)
NEET-UG paper leak case: Court grants CBI seven days to file supplementary chargesheet
