A Delhi court on Monday granted permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate three individuals currently in judicial custody in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. The court described the accused as 'prime conspirators' who played a pivotal role in the leakage and distribution of examination questions before the scheduled test.
Court Proceedings
Duty Judge Surender Mohit Singh presided over the hearing of the CBI's plea, which sought to question the accused — Manisha Sanjay Waghmare, Dhanunjay Nivrutti Lokhande, and Shubham Madhukar Khairnar — while they remain in jail. The court acknowledged the necessity of further investigation and allowed the agency to proceed with the interrogation.
In its plea, the CBI stated, 'It has been revealed that the accused are the prime conspirators who facilitated the leakage and dissemination of NEET-UG 2026 questions in exchange for monetary consideration before the examination held on May 3.' The agency argued that questioning the accused would provide crucial clarifications for the ongoing probe.
Arrests and Custody
Lokhande and Khairnar were arrested on May 13, while Waghmare was taken into custody the following day. All three were subsequently remanded to judicial custody. The court also extended the judicial custody of several other accused individuals, including Yash Yadav, Mangilal Khatik, Vikash Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Dhananjay Lokhande, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, Manoj Shirure, Tejas Shah, and Shubham Khairnar, who appeared before the court via videoconferencing.
Scope of Investigation
The CBI has arrested a total of 13 individuals in connection with the case. The agency continues to investigate the broader network involved in the paper leak, which allegedly compromised the integrity of the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The court's decision to allow the interrogation of the three prime accused in jail underscores the seriousness of the offense and the need for a thorough probe.
This development marks a significant step in the CBI's efforts to unravel the conspiracy behind the leak and ensure accountability for those responsible.
