Court Denies Bail to Manisha Waghmare in NEET Paper Leak Case

New Delhi, June 9: The Rouse Avenue Court has denied bail to Manisha Waghmare, an accused in the NEET paper leak case. The court reached its decision after hearing arguments from both sides.

During the hearing, Waghmare’s lawyer claimed that she is a certified education counselor, and her primary source of income comes from providing academic counseling to students. The defense argued that the bank entry flagged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was actually a sum of approximately ₹3.5 lakh received through a gift deed linked to ancestral property.

The defense further contended that there was no incriminating evidence in Waghmare’s bank accounts or other financial records that would justify her continued judicial custody. The lawyer informed the court that the CBI had conducted searches at her residence twice but found no cash or objectionable material.

In contrast, the CBI strongly opposed the bail application. The investigating agency stated that while Waghmare claims to be an education counselor, she also operates a beauty parlor. The CBI alleged that she was part of a network that illegally disseminated NEET exam questions to other accused individuals.

According to the CBI, Waghmare allegedly provided questions in chemistry, biology, and physics to a person named Lokhande, who then passed them on to another accused, Shubham. The agency claims that Waghmare was involved in delivering exam-related questions to students for a fee.

The CBI also informed the court that they possess statements from students who claimed to have paid Waghmare for access to the question paper or specific questions. The agency emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that granting bail could lead to the tampering of evidence and witness intimidation.

After considering the arguments from both sides, the court rejected the bail application. Following this decision, Manisha Waghmare will remain in judicial custody. The CBI continues to investigate the NEET paper leak case, scrutinizing the entire network’s involvement.