Pune School Principal Arrested in NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case

Pune school principal Manisha Sanjay Havaldar was arrested for her alleged involvement in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, with the Central Bureau of Investigation informing a court that she shared examination-related questions with select students in exchange for money. The CBI described Havaldar, principal of Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala, as another key “source” in the leak conspiracy. She was arrested on Friday and produced before a Pune court, where the agency sought her remand. Havaldar had served as an empanelled physics translator for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG)-2026 conducted by the National Testing Agency.

According to the CBI, Havaldar allegedly prepared and retained handwritten notes containing NEET-related physics questions during her official assignment as a translator. These notes were later used to share exam content with a few students through WhatsApp messages and printed copies ahead of the original examination date. The probe revealed that she acted in collusion with botany teacher Manisha Mandhare from Modern College of Arts and Science in Pune, who is already in custody. Havaldar reportedly admitted to sharing physics questions that she had translated or reverse-translated.

The agency told the court that Havaldar received Rs 20,000 from one student and Rs 25,000 from another person in connection with the leak. Investigators found that she had deleted chats with Mandhare and destroyed notes containing the physics question bank by burning them in an attempt to conceal evidence. The CBI has presented these details while seeking further custody to deepen the probe into the wider conspiracy.

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Havaldar is currently in transit remand and is expected to be produced before a Delhi court on Monday for further proceedings. The case stems from widespread allegations of a paper leak that surfaced after the initial NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3. The National Testing Agency was forced to cancel that exam, scheduling a re-examination for June 21 to ensure fairness for aspiring medical students.

The CBI registered an FIR on May 12 based on a complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Union Education Ministry. The investigation has so far led to the arrest of 11 accused from multiple cities, including Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Latur, and Ahilyanagar. Authorities have claimed that the probe has successfully identified the actual sources behind the paper leak.

This latest arrest highlights the extent of the scandal involving educators who were entrusted with exam-related responsibilities. The NEET-UG remains one of India’s most critical entrance examinations for undergraduate medical and dental admissions, and the leak has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the testing process across the country. The CBI continues to investigate the full network to prevent future breaches in national-level examinations.

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