Rouse Avenue Court allowed CBI to further investigate the NEET-UG paper leak.
Agency cited fresh digital evidence and possible involvement of additional persons.
CBI has already chargesheeted 13 accused, all currently in judicial custody.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Friday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out further investigation in the NEET-UG paper leak case, even as proceedings on the framing of charges against 13 accused remain underway.
The probe agency had sought the court’s permission to examine fresh digital evidence and investigate the possible role of individuals who have not yet been named as accused.
The CBI has already filed a chargesheet against 13 people in the case. The court took cognisance of the chargesheet on August 12 and is currently considering arguments on whether charges should formally be framed against the accused, news agency ANI reported
CBI Seeks Probe Into Fresh Digital Evidence
During an earlier hearing, Senior Public Prosecutor Pathak, appearing for the CBI, told the court that certain digital evidence had emerged which required further examination.
He submitted that the agency also wanted to investigate the possible involvement of persons other than those already chargesheeted and therefore sought permission to continue the probe.
The court had reserved its order on the CBI’s application on Thursday before allowing the request on Friday.
Meanwhile, arguments on the framing of charges were deferred after lawyers representing the accused raised issues over the supply of documents filed by the CBI along with the chargesheet.
Advocates Hemant Shah, Akash Mann and Vishal Maan opposed the agency’s application for further investigation, arguing that the accused should be given an opportunity to be heard since the request had been made after the filing of the chargesheet.
20,000-Page Chargesheet Against 13 Accused
The CBI has filed a chargesheet running into around 20,000 pages against 13 accused.
They have been identified as Manish Mandhare, Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar, Manisha Waghmare, Prahlad Vitthal Rao Kulkarni, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Tejas Harshad Kumar Shah, Dhanjay Lokhande, Shubham Khairnar, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal.
All 13 accused are currently in judicial custody and were produced before the court through video conferencing from Tihar Jail on Thursday.
According to the CBI, the chargesheet cites 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects.
Charges Include Conspiracy, Cheating And Corruption
The accused have been charged with offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust and destruction of evidence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The CBI has also invoked provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
The agency made its first arrest in the case on May 13, 2026. A total of 13 people have since been arrested.
According to the CBI, those arrested include three NTA subject experts specialising in Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Several alleged middlemen accused of sourcing and distributing leaked questions have also been identified and taken into custody.
Two people associated with coaching institutes were arrested for allegedly obtaining leaked question papers from the subject experts.
The agency has also examined the financial trail in the case. According to the CBI, several bank accounts and lockers, along with a demat account linked to the accused, have been frozen as part of the investigation.
With the court now permitting further investigation, the agency can examine the newly surfaced digital material and probe whether additional individuals were involved, while proceedings against the existing 13 accused continue separately.
