CBI Gets 14 Days Custody in NEET Leak

The Central Bureau of Investigation obtained 14 days’ custody of Manisha Gurunath Mandhare from Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Sunday, May 17, in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, according to multiple Indian media reports. The order allows investigators to question Mandhare further as they examine how the medical entrance exam’s question paper was allegedly accessed and circulated before the test. The NEET-UG 2026 examination was held on May 3, and the National Testing Agency later canceled it after evidence of overlap emerged between pre-circulated material and the actual paper. More than 24 lakh candidates were affected by the cancellation, according to Times of India. ### Why did the CBI ask for Mandhare’s custody? The CBI told the court it needed custodial interrogation of Mandhare as part of its expanding probe into the alleged leak, according to reports of the May 17 hearing. Times of India reported that the agency is investigating the circulation of the question paper through a broader network that stretched across multiple states. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Mandhare has been described in reports as a Pune-based biology lecturer and botany teacher. Several outlets said investigators suspect she had links to the paper-setting side of the exam and may have known in advance which biology questions would appear, though those allegations remain part of the CBI’s case and have not been tested in court. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### Who is Manisha Gurunath Mandhare in the case record so far? Manisha Gurunath Mandhare emerged publicly in the case after the CBI produced her before the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi on May 17. India TV and other outlets reported that her lawyer opposed the CBI’s plea and argued that her arrest was unlawful, while the agency pressed for custody to continue questioning. (bhaskarenglish.in) Pune has figured prominently in the investigation’s reported timeline. Bhaskar English and other reports said Mandhare was questioned at the CBI headquarters in Delhi before being arrested, and investigators have described her as one of the key accused in the case. (indiatvnews.com) ### How large is the alleged leak network? The CBI had already widened the case before the May 17 remand hearing. On May 13, the agency arrested five accused and carried out searches at several locations, according to Times of India. On May 14, it arrested two more people in Maharashtra and conducted searches at 14 locations across the country, the same outlet reported. (bhaskarenglish.in) Jaipur, Pune, Haryana and Maharashtra have all appeared in reported accounts of the alleged distribution chain. Times of India said investigators were examining whether a hard copy of the paper was procured in Pune and then moved through couriers, WhatsApp groups and coaching networks into other states. That description reflects investigators’ account of the case, not a court finding on guilt. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### What happened to the NEET-UG 2026 exam itself? The National Testing Agency canceled NEET-UG 2026 on May 12 after what Times of India described as significant overlap between “guess papers” circulated before the exam and the actual question paper. The exam had been conducted on May 3 and affected more than 24 lakh aspirants, according to the same report. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) The cancellation turned the criminal investigation into a national education issue because NEET is the gateway examination for undergraduate medical admissions in India. Reports on the case have focused on the biology section in particular, though the CBI’s broader inquiry concerns the full chain of access, circulation and beneficiaries. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### What comes next in court and in the investigation? The 14-day custody order means Mandhare will remain with the CBI for questioning through the remand period granted on May 17, unless a court modifies that order earlier. The next formal court step is expected when the agency brings her back before the Rouse Avenue court after the custody period or seeks any further relief, according to reports of the hearing. (munsifdaily.com) The CBI’s next moves are likely to focus on digital records, communication trails and the roles of other accused already arrested in the case. As of May 17, media reports said at least nine accused had been arrested in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 leak investigation. (bhaskarenglish.in) (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)