The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a chargesheet before a Delhi court against all 13 arrested accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case.
The chargesheet has been filed before the Rouse Avenue Court and will be placed on Wednesday before the specially designated Fast Track Court constituted to exclusively hear paper leak cases.
The prosecution has arraigned all 13 arrested accused in the case, namely Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Shubham Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Prahlad Kulkarni, Tejas Harshad Kumar, Dr Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Mandhare and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar. All the accused are presently in judicial custody.
According to the chargesheet, the accused have been indicted under Sections 315(5), 318(4), 61(2), 238 and 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. They have also been charged under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, besides Sections 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
The CBI had registered the case on May 12 on a complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Union Ministry of Education, alleging that confidential NEET-UG 2026 question papers were circulated on WhatsApp before the examination.
According to the probe agency, the investigation has uncovered an alleged nationwide network involving candidates, middlemen, coaching operators and others.
The original NEET-UG 2026 examination was subsequently cancelled, and a re-examination was conducted on June 21 under heightened security arrangements.
The filing of the chargesheet comes amid a series of measures announced to expedite prosecution in paper leak cases.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on setting up fast-track courts for such offences, the Delhi High Court last week constituted a specially designated Fast Track Court at the Rouse Avenue Courts Complex to exclusively try offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and connected cases.
On Tuesday, the Patna High Court also decided to establish three special fast-track courts in Patna, Lakhisarai and Purnea for cases involving paper leaks, cheating and other examination-related offences, directing that trials be conducted on a day-to-day basis and, as far as possible, concluded within three months of filing of the chargesheet.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday began deliberations on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to strengthen the existing legal framework by enhancing punishments, increasing financial penalties, prescribing timelines for investigations, and mandating fast-track courts for paper leak cases.
Among other changes, the proposed legislation provides that investigations should be completed within two months of reference by the Centre and trials should, as far as possible, conclude within three months of filing of the chargesheet.
Picture Courtesy: IANS
