CBI Arrests NTA Expert in NEET Leak Case, Marking 11th Arrest

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made its 11th arrest in connection with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) leak investigation. Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, an expert employed by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was apprehended for allegedly leaking questions related to the Physics section of the examination. The arrest took place amid an ongoing investigation into irregularities in the NEET-UG examination held on 3rd May.

Manisha Sanjay Havaldar was working at Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala in Pune, where she functioned as a subject expert for the NEET UG 2026 paper. According to a CBI spokesperson, her position provided her with access to the comprehensive question set, which she allegedly disclosed to another accused, Manisha Mandhare. Mandhare, who operates as a beautician in Pune, was taken into custody a day earlier for her role in disseminating leaked materials from NTA experts.

This case has drawn widespread attention and concern over the integrity of the examination process. The CBI began its inquiry into the matter on 12th May following growing dissatisfaction regarding the examination's validity.

Previously, the agency had detained Praveen Kulkarni, a Chemistry professor who served both as a subject expert and translator for the NTA. Kulkarni is believed to have provided the leaked questions to Mandhare, who subsequently transferred them to Dhananjay Lokhande, with Lokhande passing the information on to Shubham Khairnar, a resident of Nashik.

The investigation aims to ensure accountability in the examination system, which is crucial for aspiring medical students in India. The CBI has emphasised its commitment to upholding the sanctity of educational assessments amidst the ongoing inquiry.