A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of 10 individuals arrested in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper leak until July 11. Special Judge Vijeta Singh Rawat allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) plea, presented by Special Public Prosecutor V K Pathak, to extend custody for further investigation.
Accused Produced Virtually Before Court
Ten of the 13 accused in the case were produced virtually before the court after their judicial custody ended on Monday. The court extended custody for Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Dhananjay Lokhande, Tejas Harshad Shah, Shubham Khairnar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Havaldar, and Dr Manoj Shirure.
Among the remaining three accused, alleged kingpin P V Kulkarni and Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar have already been sent to judicial custody until July 8. Another accused, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, was sent to 14 days' judicial custody until June 30 by the court.
Background of the Case
On May 12, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, held on May 3 for medical admissions amid allegations of a paper leak. A re-examination was conducted on June 21, with over 20 lakh medical aspirants taking a second shot at the test. The paper leak became a significant issue for the government.
The CBI registered a case based on a written complaint from the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. The agency stated it has filed an FIR regarding alleged irregularities and paper leak in the conduct of the NEET-UG Exam, covering offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, theft, destruction of evidence, and offences under the Public Examination Prevention of Unfair Means Act, 2024.
Impact and Next Steps
The extension of judicial custody allows the CBI to continue its investigation into the network behind the leak. The court's decision ensures the accused remain in custody as authorities probe the extent of the conspiracy. The NTA's cancellation of the original exam and the subsequent re-test have aimed to maintain the integrity of the admission process for medical colleges across India.
