The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday widened its probe into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, bringing four new suspects into the spotlight. Educational consultancy operator Shubham Khairnar, suspended junior college teacher Manisha Mandhare, beauty parlour owner Manisha Waghmare, and a Latur-based paediatrician are now at the centre of the investigation as the agency chases money trails, digital footprints, and a growing list of suspected beneficiaries.
Key Suspects and Interrogations
CBI brought Khairnar to Pune for questioning, while Mandhare and Waghmare faced fresh interrogation over their alleged roles in leaking and circulating question papers before the medical entrance exam on May 3. The paediatrician from Latur is suspected of procuring the leaked paper for his child through a retired chemistry lecturer, Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni, whom investigators described as the source of the leak. “We are questioning him to establish his involvement,” a CBI official said.
Money and Digital Trails
Investigators suspect that several parents, including medical practitioners, paid hefty sums to access the question paper in advance. Multiple families across districts have been questioned, while some suspects remain under surveillance. CBI is focusing on financial transactions, digital communication records, and the chain of intermediaries involved in the leak.
Khairnar's Role as Conduit
Khairnar operated an educational consultancy guiding aspirants preparing for MBBS, BDS, BHMS, and other medical entrance exams. CBI is probing his links with a Pune-based accused arrested earlier and whether he acted as a conduit between aspirants and the leak network.
Mandhare and Waghmare Under Scanner
Mandhare, attached to Pune’s Modern College and associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA), is being questioned along with her neighbour Waghmare over how leaked papers were sourced, disseminated, and routed to candidates.
NTA's Stance and Parliamentary Panel
The National Testing Agency told a parliamentary panel that it believed the paper was not compromised through its system but added that CBI will provide a conclusive finding. Over 22 lakh students wrote the NEET-UG exam, which NTA cancelled on May 12 following allegations of widespread malpractice and paper leak.
