New Delhi [India], May 15 : The Rouse Avenue court on Friday remanded accused Dhananjay Lokhande for six days of CBI custody in the NEET UG exam paper leak case, as the agency got the remand to identify and arrest NTA officials involved in the leak and probe the larger conspiracy.
Seeking remand of Lokhande, the CBI said that the accused Dhananjay Nivrutti Lokhande, who is known to Shubham, collected NEET examination, 2026 material from co-accused Manisha Waghmare, who is a resident of Pune.
The CBI further said Lokhande, after receiving the said NEET examination paper, 2026, further transmitted it to the accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar. On April 24, Yash Yadav received PDF files of leaked question papers from Subham Madhukar Khairnar through Telegram.
The CBI said that police custody of Lokhande was required to recover the digital devices and digital evidence and financial trail, and also to identify the officials of NTA involved in the leakage of paper and to unearth the larger conspiracy.
After hearing the submissions of CBI, Special Judge Ajay Gupta granted 6 days' police custody of Dhananjay to the investigation agency.
The other 5 accsued are also in 7 Days CBI custody. All Accused will be produced before the court on May 22.
While seeking police custody of Lokhande, the CBI Prosecutor Neetu Singh submitted that the accused was arrested on May 13 in Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra, and his two-day transit remand was obtained from the court of Ahmednagar on the same day, around 7.00 p.m. Transit remand was granted by the local court.
Advocate Vikram Singh, Counsel for the accused, opposed the remand application on the grounds of arrest have neither been supplied to the accused nor to his family members and that the signatures of the accused and his family members were obtained by CBI on blank papers.
He also submitted that the custody of the accused is required to identify other accsued persons. "All the recoveries have already been made from the accused."
As per the investigation conducted by CBI, Lokhande, known to the accused Shubham, collected the NEET examination 2026 material from co-accused Manisha Waghmare, a resident of Pune and after receiving the NEET examination paper 2026, he further transmitted the same to accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar.
During the investigation, it has also come to light that, in regard to the leaked question paper circulation, there have been banking transactions of approximately Rs 6 lakh between him and his relative and co-accused, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar. Further, in this regard, certain incriminating material, i.e. bank statements, electronic evidence, etc., has also been collected during the investigation.
The CBI Prosecutor said that it has come to light that the accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar had obtained the said paper from the accused Lokhande, who had obtained the same from the co-accused Manisha Waghmare.
Allegedly, accused Shubham Khairnar had obtained the said leaked question paper for the purpose of selling the same for monetary gain and subsequently, he facilitated accused Yash Yadav for distribution of leaked NEET (UG) 2026 question paper and accordingly, on April 29, accused Yash Yadav got the pdf files of the NEET question papers through telegram which pdf files containing the question paper of Physics, Chemistry and Biology have already been recovered.
The CBI is also interrogating 5 accsued persons arrested in this case. It is alleged that Shubham Khairnar of Nashik, Maharashtra, obtained the NEET UG Paper on April 28, 2025, from Dhananjay Lokhande of Pune, who got the paper from his NTA source.
Special CBI Court on Thursday remanded five persons, namely Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Yash Yadav and Shubham Khairnar, for 7 days in CBI custody.
While seeking a 7-day remand, the CBI had said on Thursday that the custody of the accused persons is required to identify the officials of NTA and other departments, who are involved in the leakage of NEET UG 2026 question papers before the examination.
While seeking the police custody, the CBI had submitted that the accused Shubham Khairnar facilitated the distribution of the leaked NEET UG 2026 question to Yash Yadav of Gurgaon.
It is alleged that Shubham obtained the said paper on 28.04.2026 from Dhananjay of Pune, who obtained the same from his alleged NTA source. "Shubham made a deal with the said Dhananjay for purchasing the leaked question paper and for the purpose of selling the paper in lieu of money. Shubham made a deal of Rs.15 Lac with Yash Yadav."
It was also submitted that CBI has recovered WhatsApp chats of Yash Yadav with Shubham from the mobile phone of Yash Yadav. "Though Shubham intentionally deleted the incriminating evidence, his mobile phone was seized for forensic examination."
As per the CBI investigation conducted by CBI, it has come to light that Shubham Khairnar facilitated the accused Yash Yadav for the distribution of the leaked NEET (UG) 2026 question paper and accordingly, on April 29, accused Yash Yadav got the pdf files of the NEET question papers through Telegram, which PDF files containing the question paper of Physics, Chemistry and Biology have already been recovered.
Allegedly, after accused Yash Yadav (Gurgaon) received the leaked question paper, he struck a deal with accused Mangilal Khatik for consideration of Rs 10 lakh.
The CBI alleged that Accused Mangilal circulated printed copies of the leaked question paper to the friend of his son Vikas Biwal, besides providing the same to his other son and cousin. "Accused Mangilal also got the answers to the leaked question paper from a teacher in lieu of money. The leaked question paper, as well as other incriminating evidence, has been recovered from the mobile phone of the accused."
Accused Vikas Biwal is the son of accused Mangilal and, allegedly, he had come in contact with accused Yash Yadav during coaching in Sikar, Rajasthan.