Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested another key accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. Investigators identified her as the alleged source behind the leaked Physics questions.

The accused, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, works at Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala in Pune, Maharashtra. According to the CBI, she was directly involved in the NEET-UG 2026 examination process.

Officials said the National Testing Agency had appointed Havaldar as an expert for the examination. This role reportedly gave her complete access to the Physics question papers.

CBI links accused to Physics paper leak

Investigators alleged that Havaldar played a major role in leaking the Physics section of the NEET-UG examination paper. With her arrest, the number of people taken into custody in connection with the case has now risen to 11.

The investigation has already uncovered an alleged network involving educators and coaching institute operators linked to the leak.

CBI probing wider question paper leak

The NTA had earlier asked the CBI to investigate whether Physics questions were also leaked during the NEET-UG 2026 examination. This came after suspicions emerged that circulated “guess papers” may have originated from confidential backup question paper sets prepared by the agency.

Investigators had already confirmed that Chemistry and Biology questions were sold to students for amounts reaching ₹30 lakh at least a week before the May 3 examination.

Officials now suspect that the leaked PDF documents may have contained questions taken from multiple paper sets.

Large number of leaked questions raises concerns

According to investigators, the Chemistry document alone reportedly carried 104 solved questions. This was far higher than the 45 Chemistry questions that actually appeared in the examination.

The unusually high number of leaked questions raised fears that material may have been taken from alternate or contingency paper sets prepared in case the main examination paper was compromised. Authorities are continuing to examine how confidential question papers were accessed and distributed.

Earlier arrests in the case

Before Havaldar’s arrest, the CBI had already arrested 10 people in connection with the case. Those arrested include Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, founder of a coaching centre in Latur, along with PV Kulkarni, a retired Chemistry lecturer from Pune, and Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a Botany teacher based in Pune.

Investigators said both Kulkarni and Mandhare were also members of the NTA’s expert panel for NEET-UG 2026.

Over 2.27 million students appeared for NEET-UG

The NTA conducted the NEET-UG examination on May 3 across the country. More than 2.27 million candidates appeared for the pen-and-paper medical entrance examination.

The test consisted of 180 questions, including 45 each from Physics and Chemistry and 90 from Biology.