NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak: Pune Beautician Emerges as Key Link in CBI Probe
The investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has taken a dramatic turn, with a 46-year-old beautician from Pune emerging as a crucial figure in the case.
According to sources, the woman allegedly acted as a bridge between students searching for tuition teachers and faculty members from reputed institutions, earning commissions through these connections.
Investigators now believe those same contacts may have been used to circulate the leaked examination paper.
The accused, identified as Manisha Waghmare, operates a beauty parlour in Pune’s Sukhsagar Nagar area.
She was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on May 14 and was later sent to 10 days of CBI custody along with another accused, retired teacher P V Kulkarni.
In another major development, a Delhi court on Sunday granted the CBI 14 days’ custody of Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a 57-year-old expert associated with the National Testing Agency’s question-setting panel for NEET-UG 2026.
Investigators have described her as one of the alleged masterminds behind the leak.
While seeking her custody, the CBI informed the court that Mandhare allegedly leaked confidential exam papers to selected candidates in exchange for large sums of money.
The agency claimed that as an NTA-appointed subject expert, she had complete access to the Botany and Zoology sections of the examination papers.
According to the agency, Mandhare allegedly worked in coordination with co-accused Manisha Waghmare and Prahlad Vittal Rao Kulkarni.
Investigators told the court that she used her access to the final question papers to illegally share exam-related material with selected students for financial gain.
Sources connected to the investigation said Waghmare’s role has become central to uncovering the wider network behind the leak.
Investigators suspect she learned about Mandhare’s involvement in preparing the question papers and allegedly devised a plan to profit from it.
The trio is believed to have then worked together to identify students willing to pay for access to the leaked paper.
According to officials, Waghmare allegedly maintained contact with several students through her network of tuition-related referrals. She reportedly struck deals worth nearly ₹10 lakh per student for access to the examination material.
Sources further claimed that Waghmare, Mandhare and Kulkarni had agreed to divide profits ranging between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh among themselves.
Investigators believe Waghmare arranged four to five students initially before involving an old acquaintance, Dhananjay Nivrutti Lokhande, in the operation.
Lokhande allegedly contacted Shubham Khairnar, who runs a counselling business in Nashik.
According to the probe, Khairnar became one of the first suspects arrested shortly after the NEET-UG exam was cancelled last week.
Investigators allege that Lokhande received the leaked papers from Waghmare and passed them to Khairnar, who then circulated PDF copies to others, including Gurugram resident Yash Yadav and several individuals in Jaipur. Yadav has also been arrested in connection with the case.
During Sunday’s hearing, the CBI argued that the investigation was still at a very early and sensitive stage. The agency told the court that several members of the alleged organised paper leak racket are yet to be identified and arrested.
The agency said custodial interrogation of Mandhare was necessary to expose the larger conspiracy, trace the remaining accused, and recover crucial evidence linked to the leak.
Opposing the CBI’s plea, Mandhare’s legal counsel argued that she is a 57-year-old lecturer who has been fully cooperating with investigators. The defence maintained that further police custody was unnecessary and unjustified.
