TheRouse Avenue Court, Delhi, has rejected the regular bail application filed byManisha Sanjay Waghmare, an accused in the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), observing that the material collected during the investigation prima facie indicates her active involvement in a larger examination leak syndicate.
Special Judge (PC Act) Ajay Gupta of the Rouse Avenue District Courts passed the order in a case registered by the CBI following allegations that confidential NEET-UG 2026 examination questions were circulated through WhatsApp prior to the examination held on May 3, 2026. The Court observed:
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“It is prima-facie clear from the investigation carried out by the CBI and the incriminating material collected by them till date, that present accused is one of the active conspirators of an organized paper leak gang who allegedly played an active role in leaking and circulating the NEET (UG) 2026 exam paper well before the scheduled examination date.”
Opposing the bail plea, CBI contended that Waghmare was a “prime conspirator” who allegedly facilitated the leakage and dissemination of NEET-UG 2026 questions for monetary consideration. The agency alleged that she sourced leaked material from co-accused persons associated with confidential NTA assignments and sold the material to candidates and intermediaries before the examination.
According to the prosecution, parents and candidates examined during the investigation confirmed that they were directed to coaching classes conducted by the co-accused at Waghmare’s instance and paid substantial amounts for study material that allegedly contained questions similar to those that appeared in the actual examination. The CBI further claimed that money was received in the bank accounts of Waghmare and her daughter during the relevant period and digital devices seized from her contained incriminating material relating to the leaked examination paper.
The order records allegations that Waghmare sourced candidates for the co-accused, collected substantial sums from parents, and facilitated the supply of leaked questions disguised as “guess papers” or study material. The Court further noted allegations that after news of the paper leak surfaced, she contacted students and parents and asked them to destroy the material supplied earlier.
Emphasising the gravity of examination fraud, the Court remarked that the alleged leak had severely impacted nearly 22 lakh candidates and undermined the trust of sincere students who prepared for the examination through legitimate means. The Court observed:
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“They not only caused huge loss to the exchequer but their abhorrent and illegal acts have eroded the trust of the sincere students in the process of this exam, who prepare for the exam with full zeal and honesty.”
The Court also highlighted the broader societal consequences of such conduct, observing that if candidates secure admission through unfair means, “an incompetent or less competent person or non-deserving person would be able to eventually join the medical profession leaving behind the actually deserving students.”
Waghmare had sought bail on grounds including her health condition, her status as a woman, lack of criminal antecedents and alleged cooperation with the investigation. However, relying on a medical status report submitted by jail authorities, the Court found that she was receiving appropriate treatment and that her medical condition did not warrant release on bail.
Refusing relief, the Court noted that the investigation was still at a nascent stage, the FIR had been registered only recently, and there remained a possibility of evidence tampering and influence over witnesses if the accused were released.
Accordingly, the Court dismissed the bail application.
Background of the case
The matter arose from a case registered by the CBI under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Waghmare is among the persons arrested in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, a case that has triggered a nationwide investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the medical entrance examination. According to the CBI’s investigation, she allegedly played a role in identifying and coordinating candidates who were purportedly given access to leaked examination content before the test. Reports have linked her to a wider network under investigation by the agency, including individuals allegedly involved in providing advance access to examination questions.
The NEET-UG 2026 controversy came to light after Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group reportedly found that a so-called “guess paper” circulating before the examination bore a significant resemblance to the actual question paper. The matter was subsequently handed over to the CBI for investigation.
In May this year, the CBI arrested several individuals in connection with the alleged leak, including education professionals from Pune. Investigators have alleged that confidential examination material was accessed and selectively shared with candidates before the examination. The allegations are currently under investigation, and the CBI is continuing its probe into the larger network behind the purported leak.
