The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Monday extended the judicial custody of 10 accused in the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak case till July 11. The accused were
produced before the court through virtual conference after the expiry of their earlier judicial custody. Those whose custody has been extended include Yash Yadav, Mangilal Bival, Dinesh Bival, Vikas Bival, Dhananjay Lokhande, Tejas Harshad Shah, Shubham Khairnar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Hawaldar and Dr Manoj Shirure. The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has alleged that the accused were part of a larger network involved in leaking the NEET UG question paper ahead of the examination. The agency has arrested multiple individuals from different states as part of its ongoing investigation into the alleged racket.
Background of the Case
Earlier this month, the same court had allowed accused Yash Yadav to appear for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination while remaining in judicial custody. The court observed that the right to education could not be denied merely because an individual was an accused, particularly when the trial was yet to conclude. Accordingly, Yadav was permitted to take the examination under police escort after the National Testing Agency (NTA) issued him an admit card and did not object to his request.
During the investigation, the CBI has alleged that accused Manisha Waghmare acted as a link between students and parents willing to pay for access to the leaked question paper and Dhananjay Lokhande, one of the alleged key facilitators. The agency has also named several other accused, including Dr Manoj Shirure, Tejas Harshad Shah and Shubham Khairnar, in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
The paper leak case has raised serious concerns over the integrity of one of India's largest medical entrance examinations. The court is expected to take up the matter again on July 11, when the CBI is likely to apprise it of the progress made in the investigation.
