Connect with us
Monday,21-September-2026
Breaking News

Crime

Pune Emerges As Ground Zero Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak As Shocking Details Emerge – Here’s All You Need To Know

Published

on

Pune: The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak probe has now turned into one of the country’s biggest education scandals, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging that the operation may have originated from Pune. The investigation bureau claims that this happened through a network involving exam experts, teachers, middlemen, coaching contacts and interstate agents.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026, which is India’s largest medical entrance exam, was conducted on 3rd May 2026 for over 22 lakh students nationwide.

The latest and most explosive revelation in the case is the alleged role of Pune-based beautician and self-proclaimed educational consultant Manisha Waghmare. Investigators believe that she is a key link connecting students, parents, coaching contacts and insiders with access to the confidential NEET question paper.

According to the CBI, Waghmare allegedly discovered that Pune professor Manisha Gurunath Mandhare was part of the National Testing Agency’s confidential NEET paper-setting ecosystem. Investigators claim Waghmare then approached Mandhare and allegedly helped build a leak network around her access to the examination system.

The probe alleges that Waghmare, using her beauty parlour business and education-related contacts, identified wealthy and desperate NEET aspirants willing to pay huge sums for advance access to exam questions. The CBI told the court that deals worth nearly Rs 10 lakh per student were allegedly struck. The money was reportedly meant to be shared among the accused involved in the operation.

The investigation has revealed what officials describe as a highly organised interstate network stretching from Pune to Nashik, Gurugram and Jaipur. CBI officials allege that confidential Biology questions were accessed through Mandhare, who was allegedly appointed as an NTA subject expert for botany and zoology. Investigators claim she had direct access to the final question papers before the 3rd May NEET-UG 2026 examination.

According to the agency, Mandhare abused her official role and leaked confidential material in exchange for money. The CBI further alleged in court that retired teacher Prahlad Vitthalrao Kulkarni was also brought into the conspiracy. Another accused, Shubham Khairnar from Nashik, allegedly helped circulate the leaked content further through counselling and coaching contacts.

Investigators claim the paper eventually travelled through WhatsApp messages, PDFs and interstate coaching networks. One leaked PDF allegedly reached Gurugram-based accused Yash Yadav before being circulated further in Jaipur. The case first exploded after teachers in Rajasthan reportedly noticed that questions from leaked “guess papers” matched the actual NEET exam held on 3rd May. A whistleblower allegedly alerted authorities after comparing the leaked PDF with the final paper line by line.

Soon after, the National Testing Agency came under massive scrutiny. The centre ordered a nationwide CBI probe, and the entire NEET-UG 2026 examination was cancelled. More than 22 lakh students across India were affected. So far, at least nine arrests have been made from different states, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Haryana. Among the biggest names in the investigation is Pune-based Professor Manisha Mandhare, who has emerged as one of the central accused.

According to the CBI, Mandhare has been teaching Biology to class 11 and 12 students for nearly 24 years and has worked at Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Shivajinagar since 2020. Due to her academic experience, she was allegedly appointed by the NTA for confidential examination-related work. Investigators claim she conducted private coaching sessions at her Pune residence before the examination. During these sessions, selected students were allegedly asked to note down “important questions” and mark sections in textbooks that later appeared in the actual exam.

The CBI told the court that this was not an isolated leak but part of a much larger organised crime syndicate operating across states. The agency said several more accused are yet to be identified and arrested. During Sunday’s hearing, the CBI sought 14 days of custody for Mandhare, arguing that the investigation is still at a very sensitive and early stage. The court accepted the request.

Mandhare’s lawyers opposed the custody demand and argued that she is a 57-year-old lecturer who has cooperated with investigators and does not require police custody. However, the court sided with the CBI, considering the seriousness of the allegations.

Meanwhile, the Progressive Education Society and the college administration described the arrest as serious, unfortunate and condemnable. College authorities said disciplinary proceedings would be initiated against her as per service rules.

The scandal has also intensified scrutiny of India’s coaching industry and the security of national entrance examinations. Investigators are now examining digital devices, WhatsApp chats, financial transactions, courier records and possible vulnerabilities within the NTA system.

The centre has already announced a re-examination on June 21 and is also considering major reforms, including shifting NEET to a computer-based format from 2027 to reduce the risk of future paper leaks. As the investigation deepens, Pune has emerged as the suspected ground zero of a scandal that has shaken the credibility of India’s medical entrance examination system.

Crime

Fake social media account, Chat GPT used in Ketan Agarwal murder

Published

on

Pune, Sep 20: A fake account on social media platform Instagram, along with ChatGPT and murder films, was used by Siya Goyal and her co-accused in the alleged murder of her fiance Ketan Agarwal, reveals the charge sheet filed by the police in the sensational case.

The 5,053-page charge sheet, filed on Saturday, detailed the alleged conspiracy behind the death of the 26-year-old businessman at Lohagad Fort in Pune in June, NDTV reported.

Agarwal was allegedly pushed off the fort on June 18 by his fiancee Siya Goyal, who was assisted by her purported lover Chetan Chaudhary, and another accused, identified as Ritesh Hange. All three have been arrested by the police.

According to the charge sheet, the accused had initially discussed seriously injuring Agarwal and even explored the possibility of hiring someone from outside Maharashtra to carry out the attack.

Police claimed the plan was later dropped because they feared the hired assailant could expose the conspiracy or create problems for them. Investigators have mentioned that a person contacted during this stage has since become a witness, the media report said.

As per the charge sheet, the accused subsequently decided to kill Agarwal themselves and watched murder films and used ChatGPT for the purpose. They also listened to podcasts on how to avoid detection by police as part of their preparations.

Goyal and her co-accused also researched last year’s Meghalaya honeymoon murder case where Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi was allegedly killed by his wife, Sonam, during the couple’s honeymoon in the state’s East Khasi Hills district.

Moreover, investigators stated that a fake Instagram account named ‘Mahi’ was created using the photograph of a woman known to the accused in order to “lure” Agarwal to the fort.

Subsequently, messages from the account encouraged the victim to visit the spot on June 18 for a surprise birthday plan for Goyal.

According to the chargesheet, the fake account was part of a plan devised by Ritesh Hange to bring Agarwal to the fort. The account was deleted after the incident.

Further, the charge sheet also revealed that the accused conducted a recce of locations around Lonavala before selecting Lohagad Fort.

According to investigators, Goyal and Chaudhary visited Tiger Point and other locations in search of an isolated spot.

Police said that Lohagad was eventually selected because of a death at the fort in March last year. The accused thought they could make Agarwal’s death appear like an accidental fall at the spot.

Continue Reading

Crime

47.3 kg heroin seized in Punjab, four held

Published

on

Chandigarh, Sep 20: In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police on Sunday said it had busted a cross-border heroin smuggling network by apprehending four operatives and recovering 47.3 kg of heroin, three pistols, three magazines, 15 cartridges, and two vehicles.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused are linked to a network involved in cross-border smuggling of heroin and illegal arms into Punjab, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav wrote on X.

He said the first investigation report (FIR) was registered in Faridkot.

Further investigation is underway to uncover the wider network and establish its linkages.

A day earlier, Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar busted another cross-border narcotics smuggling module with the arrest of three key operatives and recovered 17 kg of heroin from their possession. Police had identified the arrested as Prince, Malkit Singh, and Rajinder Singh, all residents of Kot Mit Singh in Amritsar.

Apart from the heroin, police teams also impounded a car used for transporting the contraband.

With this seizure on Saturday, CI Amritsar has pushed the total recovery of heroin to 54 kg in four days, having previously recovered consignments of 27 kg and 10 kg.

DGP Yadav said CI Amritsar teams had received specific input that three operatives of the smuggling module had received a drone-dropped consignment and were expected to strike a major drug deal beneath the flyover on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran road. Acting promptly, police established a checkpoint and intercepted their car near the park by the flyover. During the search, 17 kg of heroin was recovered.

On September 16, four persons were held with 27 kg of heroin and a foreign-made .30 bore PX5 pistol with three cartridges. On September 18, one person was held with 10 kg of heroin.

Continue Reading

Crime

Delhi Police trace minor girl after 8 years, recover her from Bihar

Published

on

New Delhi, Sep 20: The Delhi Police have solved a long-pending missing-person case after the minor was found in Bihar after eight years of sustained efforts, officials said on Sunday.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Delhi Police’s Central District successfully traced and recovered the minor girl from Bihar, bringing an end to a long-pending case registered at Anand Parbat police station.

The case dates back to October 14, 2018, when an FIR was registered at PS Anand Parbat in connection with the alleged missing and kidnapping of a minor girl, who was then 14 years old and a resident of the national capital’s Anand Parbat area.

Following the registration of the case, sustained efforts were made by the police to trace the missing girl and ascertain her whereabouts. During the course of the investigation and search operations, the AHTU team examined footage from multiple CCTV cameras and conducted extensive searches at around 90 shelter homes for girls, 52 orphanages, religious places, and red-light areas across Delhi-NCR.

Despite the extensive searches and multiple efforts undertaken over the years, the whereabouts of the missing girl could not initially be established. The AHTU team, however, continued to pursue available leads and kept working on the long-pending case.

A few months ago, the team received a crucial secret input indicating that the missing girl might be present in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur. Acting promptly on the information, a dedicated team was constituted to trace and recover her.

The team comprised Sub-Inspector Raj Bahadur Singh, Head Constable Surender and Woman Constable Manisha. The team worked under the supervision of Inspector Anil Yadav, In-charge of AHTU, with overall supervision by the ACP, DIU.

Following the development of the lead, the police team immediately travelled to Kanpur and conducted searches at the location indicated by the source. However, upon reaching the spot, the team learnt that the missing girl had been moved from the location shortly before their arrival.

The police team did not abandon the search and continued checking the surrounding areas while developing additional local sources in an effort to trace her whereabouts. Despite these efforts, no immediate clue could be established at that stage.

The team continued to follow the lead and subsequently received information suggesting that the missing girl might be residing in Bihar’s Samastipur district. Acting on the newly developed information, the AHTU team proceeded to Samastipur on September 15.

Through sustained technical surveillance, field verification and persistent ground-level efforts, the team was able to narrow down the location of the missing girl to Shahpur Patori.

The police team subsequently conducted a search operation in the area and successfully located and recovered the missing girl from Patori with the assistance of the local police.

Following her recovery, the girl was brought back to Delhi on September 17 and produced for medical examination. She was subsequently counselled, and her statement was recorded under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

After completion of the requisite legal and procedural formalities, the recovered girl was handed over to her parents, facilitating her reunion with her family after eight years.

Continue Reading

Trending