The chargesheet marks a major step in the investigation into the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, a controversy that sparked nationwide protests and culminated in the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 28: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed its chargesheet against 13 accused in the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, marking a significant development in the high-profile investigation that sparked nationwide protests and political controversy.
The chargesheet was submitted by the CBI’s Economic Offences Wing before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi and is expected to come up before the Special Fast-Track Court for paper leak cases on Wednesday.
According to the CBI, all 13 accused are currently in judicial custody.
The accused named in the chargesheet are Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Subham Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Prahalad Kulkarni, Tejas Harshad Kumar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Mandhare and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar.
The case has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
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Charges Invoked
The charges include:
- Section 315(5), BNS – Cheating involving personation or organised cheating.
- Section 318(4), BNS – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property or obtaining an undue advantage through deception.
- Section 61(2), BNS – Criminal conspiracy.
- Section 238, BNS – Causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information to screen offenders.
- Section 303(2), BNS – Theft committed in furtherance of a common intention or by multiple persons.
The accused have also been booked under:
- Section 13(1)(a) and Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, relating to criminal misconduct by public servants and the associated punishment.
Additionally, the CBI has invoked Sections 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which deal with:
- Use of unfair means in public examinations.
- Conspiracy, facilitation and organised paper leak operations.
- Unauthorised access to confidential examination material.
- Responsibilities and liability of service providers and institutions involved in the conduct of examinations.
- Abetment and other offences connected with organised examination fraud.
The alleged leak of the NEET-UG examination paper triggered nationwide outrage, prompting multiple investigations into irregularities in the conduct of India’s premier medical entrance examination.
The controversy also led to widespread student protests spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), culminating in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25. Following his resignation and government assurances on several demands, the CJP called off its 36-day agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
