Pune: The CBI told a court on Sunday that a Pune school principal arrested in the NEET UG paper leak case allegedly sold examination questions to students for money.
The agency, while seeking the remand of principal Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, said Havaldar — who worked as an empanelled Physics translator for NEET UG 2026 at Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala — shared exam material with a small number of students in exchange for payments. She was arrested on Friday and is currently in transit remand; she is expected to be produced before a Delhi court on Monday.
According to the CBI, its probe indicates Havaldar colluded with botany teacher Manisha Mandhare, who is also in custody, to pass on NEET related content. Investigators say handwritten notes containing NEET questions were prepared and retained by Havaldar during her National Testing Agency assignment and were later shared with students via WhatsApp and printed handouts.
The agency told the court that Havaldar admitted to sharing translated or reverse translated Physics questions with one student and with Mandhare. The CBI said she received about Rs 20,000 from one student and Rs 25,000 from another. Investigators also allege she deleted chats with Mandhare and burnt the notes containing the Physics question bank.
The NTA cancelled the NEET UG held on May 3 after allegations of a paper leak; a re examination has been scheduled for June 21. The CBI registered a case on May 12 following a written complaint from the Department of Higher Education, and 11 accused have been arrested so far from multiple cities, the agency said. It added that the probe has identified the source of the leak.
(Inputs from IANS)