- CBI chargesheet names three NTA experts in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case
- Experts memorised and reconstructed questions from hotel rooms after moderation
- No frisking system at NTA allowed undetected exit with memorised questions
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, accessed by NDTV, has detailed how three subject experts associated with the National Testing Agency allegedly leaked the examination paper by memorising questions and later reconstructing them from hotel rooms.
The 94-page chargesheet names NTA subject experts P.V. Kulkarni, Manisha Mandhare and Manisha Havalda as being involved in the leak.
According to the document, the experts allegedly copied out questions on chits and marked relevant paragraphs from NCERT textbooks during the paper's moderation process at the NTA's confidential section.
The CBI has alleged that where questions were harder to note down directly, the experts committed them to memory during the day and wrote them into notebooks once they returned to their hotel rooms in the evening.
The chargesheet noted that there was no system of checking or frisking experts during their entry or exit from the confidential section at the NTA, which allegedly allowed the alleged leak to go undetected.
The document specifically states that accused P.V. Kulkarni carried out back-translation work for three sets of questions, amounting to 135 questions in total, over a three-day period between March 31 and April 2, 2026.
ALSO READ: CBI Files Charge Sheet Against 13 Accused In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case
Investigators have said the method appeared to be designed to avoid leaving any direct trail linking back to the original question paper, since no physical copy was removed from the premises. The reconstructed paper was then allegedly passed on to candidates through a chain of middlemen ahead of the examination.
The CBI has alleged that the motive behind the leak was financial gain, with the accused allegedly working to help select candidates gain an unfair advantage in the examination.
The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak had triggered widespread protests and calls for a re-examination after reports emerged of irregularities in the conduct of the exam, prompting the CBI to step in and investigate the matter.
The chargesheet marks a significant development in the probe, though the allegations against the accused are yet to be tested in court and remain part of the ongoing legal process.
ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Passes Examination Amendment Bill To Crack Down On Paper Leaks After NEET Outrage
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
