New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was orchestrated through an extensive digital network, with confidential question papers allegedly circulated via WhatsApp, Telegram and PDF files days before the examination.
In a chargesheet filed before the Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue, the agency said forensic examination of seized mobile phones and other electronic devices uncovered chats, documents and photographs that helped investigators trace the movement of the leaked question paper from NTA-appointed subject experts to intermediaries and eventually to candidates.
According to the CBI, forensic analysis of the mobile phone of accused Yash Yadav recovered PDF copies of the leaked question paper and Telegram conversations with a contact saved as "AP Broker", who was later identified as co-accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar. The agency said the digital records indicate that confidential examination material was shared before the examination was conducted.
The chargesheet also states that a mobile phone seized from accused Manisha Sanjay Waghmare contained a WhatsApp group titled "NEET 2026", which investigators allege formed part of the communication network used by the accused.
The CBI has alleged that the leaked question paper moved through multiple intermediaries rather than directly from NTA subject experts to candidates. According to the investigation, private operators and brokers allegedly distributed the papers to aspirants who had agreed to pay substantial sums.
Investigators have also relied on call detail records, forensic extraction reports from mobile phones and witness statements to establish communication between the accused. The agency said the electronic evidence matched the timeline of meetings and exchanges described during the investigation.
The chargesheet further alleges that original educational certificates, blank signed cheques and other documents were exchanged among members of the network as security for payments linked to the alleged leak.
Based on the digital evidence, witness statements and material recovered during the investigation, the CBI has chargesheeted 13 accused, including three NTA-appointed subject experts, under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Background
The NEET-UG 2026 controversy prompted the Centre to hand over the investigation to the CBI following allegations that the question paper had been leaked before the examination. The probe led investigators to multiple states, resulting in searches, arrests and the seizure of electronic devices. During the investigation, the agency alleged that a network involving subject experts, brokers and middlemen had accessed and circulated confidential examination material in exchange for money. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, enacted after earlier examination paper leak cases, has been invoked in the case for the first time in a major national entrance examination.
This report is based on inputs from ANI, with additional reporting and background by the EdexLive Desk.
