A Delhi court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on framing of charges in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case to October 14 after the Central Bureau of Investigation sought more time to complete further investigation and file a supplementary chargesheet.
Special Judge Ajay Gupta of the Rouse Avenue Courts allowed the CBI another week after the agency informed the court that its investigation was continuing. The special fast-track court is considering the question of framing charges against 13 accused already chargesheeted in the case.
CBI seeks more time
The agency told the court that further investigation was underway and sought additional time before arguments on charges proceeded. The development came after the court had on September 30 granted the CBI seven days to file its supplementary chargesheet and listed the matter for October 7.
On Wednesday, the agency again sought time, following which the court deferred the proceedings to October 14.
The continuing investigation has become relevant to the charge-framing proceedings, with the court examining whether arguments should proceed while additional evidence is still being collected and a supplementary chargesheet remains to be filed.
13 accused chargesheeted
The CBI filed its principal chargesheet in July against 13 people in connection with the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 question paper. The voluminous chargesheet runs into around 20,000 pages and cites approximately 360 witnesses.
Those chargesheeted include Manisha Mandhare, Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar, Manisha Waghmare, Pralhad Kulkarni, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Dr Manoj Shirure, Tejas Harshad Shah, Shubham Madhukar Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal and Vikas Biwal.
The court has already taken cognisance of the chargesheet. The allegations against the accused, however, remain to be tested at trial, and the charge-framing proceedings will determine which offences, if any, they will be required to face trial for.
How CBI says leak occurred
According to the CBI’s case, questions were allegedly extracted during the process of preparing and translating the NEET-UG paper before being passed through a network of intermediaries.
Investigators have alleged that hotel and other premises were used to facilitate access to portions of the question paper before the May 3 examination. The agency has also relied on digital evidence, including mobile phones, deleted WhatsApp conversations and PDF files, to reconstruct the alleged circulation of questions.
The CBI has alleged that handwritten material, photographs and messaging platforms were among the methods used to transmit questions before the examination.
These are allegations contained in the investigating agency’s case and have not yet resulted in findings of guilt against the accused.
Another accused under probe
The court is separately dealing with accused Sheshrav Bajrang Suryavanshi, also known as Raj Suryavanshi, who was arrested by the CBI on September 2.
The agency has alleged that Suryavanshi was a close associate of chargesheeted accused Shubham Madhukar Khairnar and helped arrange purportedly leaked NEET-UG questions for candidates before the examination.
According to investigators, candidates were allegedly brought to a house in Nanded where questions were provided to them. The agency has further alleged that original educational documents and certificates of some candidates were taken as security for payments.
Suryavanshi was initially sent to CBI custody and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody. The allegations against him also remain subject to investigation and judicial determination.
Digital devices examined
The CBI had earlier told the court that examination of digital devices seized from candidates and others was still underway. Investigators are seeking to trace the movement of the alleged leaked material and identify people who may have participated in its circulation.
The agency has conducted its investigation across several states and made arrests from multiple locations. Its case centres on an alleged network involving people connected with the examination process, intermediaries and coaching-related entities.
The latest request for additional time indicates that the agency has not yet formally closed the investigation despite filing its first chargesheet.
Exam held on May 3
NEET-UG 2026 was conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 3, with more than 22.7 lakh candidates appearing for the medical entrance examination.
The CBI registered its case on May 12 following a written complaint from the Department of Higher Education. The FIR covered alleged offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust and destruction of evidence, along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act.
The investigation was launched after allegations emerged that material relating to the examination had been circulated without authorisation before the test.
The Rouse Avenue Court is now scheduled to take up the case again on October 14. The immediate issue before the court will be the status of the CBI’s further investigation and the next stage of proceedings on framing charges against the 13 accused.