Delhi court flags ‘criminal breach of trust’ by 3 experts in NEET-UG paper leak

A Delhi court has identified three subject experts, PV Kulkarni, Manisha Mandhare, and Manisha Havaldar, as having prima facie committed criminal breach of trust with the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the alleged leakage of the NEET-UG 2026 question paper. The finding came during a hearing in the fast-track court led by Special Judge Ajay Gupta at Rouse Avenue Courts, where the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) presented a 20,000-page chargesheet against 13 individuals involved in the case. The court's observations centered on the actions of PV Kulkarni, who was assigned the task of translating the Chemistry section of the exam paper. According to the chargesheet, Kulkarni exploited the inadequate security measures at the NTA’s headquarters, including the absence of frisking procedures for subject experts, to smuggle out chits or short notes containing key information. These materials were later used to disseminate the content of the exam to students through intermediaries. All three subject experts had previously signed an undertaking confirming they would not disclose any examination-related material. Despite this promise, the court found that they actively participated in the leak, selling the exam content to both co-accused individuals and students posing as coaching clients. The court emphasized that the three experts were central figures in a broader conspiracy aimed at securing financial gains through the unauthorized distribution of the exam paper. The chargesheet, filed by the CBI last month, outlines a detailed account of how the leak unfolded, tracing it back to the paper setters and concluding with the beneficiaries, students who gained an unfair advantage. The investigation revealed a coordinated effort among the accused, with each individual playing a specific role in the dissemination of the leaked material. The CBI claims to have gathered substantial evidence, including statements from 360 witnesses, 422 documents, and 43 physical items, supporting the prosecution's case. The court noted that the accused attempted to destroy evidence by disposing of their electronic devices, which could potentially implicate them under provisions of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. This act, recently enacted, aims to combat malpractices in public examinations and provides legal recourse against such violations. The case is currently at the document scrutiny stage, with the next step being the commencement of arguments on charges. All 13 individuals named in the chargesheet remain in judicial custody. The court has also dismissed a previous plea by some of the accused to undergo a lie detector test, indicating that the investigation has already established sufficient grounds for prosecution. The NTA, responsible for conducting the NEET-UG exams, has faced increasing scrutiny over its security protocols following the incident. The court's findings underscore the vulnerabilities within the agency’s internal processes, particularly regarding the handling of sensitive examination data. As the legal proceedings move forward, the focus will likely shift towards determining the extent of each individual's involvement and the potential consequences they may face under the applicable laws.