A Delhi court has rejected the bail plea of Manisha Waghmare, an accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision was made by the Rouse Avenue Court after hearing arguments from both sides.
Waghmare’s counsel argued during the hearing that she is a certified education counsellor who earns income through counseling services. The defense claimed that the CBI’s allegation of a financial transaction was incorrect, stating that the credited amount in her account came from a gift deed related to ancestral property.
The CBI, opposing the plea, argued that Waghmare, besides being an education consultant, also operated a beauty parlor and played a role in circulating leaked exam questions. The agency alleged that Waghmare leaked exam questions to students for money, citing statements from candidates who claimed to have paid her for access to the leaked questions.
The court, after considering the arguments, denied the bail application. The case involves the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 exam paper, leading to an FIR by the CBI based on a complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Union Ministry of Education.
The CBI has identified individuals allegedly involved in the paper leak network, including Waghmare, a Pune-based consultant, and a Chemistry professor named P.V. Kulkarni. The National Testing Agency (NTA) is set to conduct a re-examination of NEET-UG 2026 on June 21, following the cancellation of the original exam due to the leak allegations.
