New Delhi [India], June 5 : The Rouse Avenue Court reserved its order on the bail plea of Manisha Waghmare in the NEET-UG paper leak case for June 9.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) opposed the bail plea, calling her a “conspirator” who allegedly obtained the leaked examination paper and distributed it further.
Waghmare, who has been arrested in the NEET-UG paper leak case, is currently in judicial custody. Special CBI Judge Ajay Gupta reserved the order after hearing submissions from Advocate Shreyas Gacche, appearing for Waghmare, and Senior Public Prosecutor Neetu Singh, appearing for the CBI. Opposing the bail plea, the CBI submitted that Waghmare played a key role, as she is a conspirator in obtaining and circulating the leaked exam paper and allegedly received money from students in exchange for access to it.
“We have statements from students who said that they give money for question papers,” the CBI said. The agency further said it had statements and bank transaction records related to the case. CBI alleged that Waghmare was part of a conspiracy involving Prahalad Kulkarni in obtaining and distributing the leaked NEET-UG examination paper.
According to the agency, Kulkarni, a retired Chemistry teacher, allegedly distributed the leaked question paper through Waghmare. The CBI claimed she further passed the paper to Dhananjay Lokhande of Pune, with whom she was in contact. The CBI had sought custody of Waghmare and Kulkarni to investigate the larger conspiracy and identify other accused involved in the alleged paper leak.
The agency also said it wanted “to identify locations where questions were revealed to certain candidates.” Counsel for Waghmare submitted that she worked as an educational consultant who referred students to good teachers and earned commission through such referrals.
The defence further argued that no incriminating evidence had been recovered during a two-day search of her residence and that no cash had been seized from her home. “She is a certified educational consultant,” the counsel submitted. Seeking bail on medical grounds, the defence said Waghmare suffers from vertigo and had been hospitalised on Monday.
“I have taken medical exigency as a ground for bail. Kindly consider it,” the counsel urged. The court, however, asked the defence to file an appropriate application regarding her medical condition, observing that the jail hospital was adequately equipped to handle such ailments. The defence also argued that her custody was illegal and alleged that Pune Police had kept her in unlawful custody on the instructions of the CBI.
It was further submitted that Waghmare had been arrested solely on the basis of the disclosure statement of Dhananjay Lokhande and that there was no independent evidence against her. According to the CBI investigation, Dhananjay Lokhande, known to co-accused Shubham, allegedly collected the NEET-UG 2026 examination material from Waghmare and later transmitted it to accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar.
On May 30, the Rouse Avenue Court had issued notice to the CBI on Waghmare’s bail plea, which was filed through Advocates Shreyas Gacche and Shubham Gawande. Waghmare remains in judicial custody till June 9 following her interrogation by the CBI in the NEET-UG paper leak case. (ANI)