Pune: School Principal Arrested in NEET-UG Paper Leak Case Was Due to Retire Next Month
Pune: School Principal Arrested in NEET-UG Paper Leak Case Was Due to Retire Next Month
Pune, May 23, 2026: Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, principal of Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala, who was recently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, was scheduled to retire in nearly 40 days, officials said.
Following the arrest, Vidya Prasarini Sabha (VPS), the educational trust managing the school, announced Havaldar’s suspension and constituted a five-member internal committee to investigate the matter.
Speaking about the incident, VPS secretary Satish Gavali said the institution had never faced such allegations in its 102-year history.
“This is the first time our institution’s name has been linked to such a serious case. Neither government authorities nor the accused principal informed us about any NEET or National Testing Agency-related work, as such matters are confidential,” Gavali stated.
According to school authorities, Havaldar joined the institution in 1992 as an assistant teacher after completing her MSc and BEd qualifications. She was promoted as principal in 2024 and was expected to retire on June 30, 2026.
School staff described her as cooperative and academically talented, adding that many were shocked by the allegations against her. Officials also stated that she regularly availed sanctioned leave during her tenure.
Sources said Havaldar lived in Pune with her husband and in-laws, while her son resides abroad.
On Friday morning, CBI officials reportedly visited her residence and questioned her for several hours. Simultaneously, another team inspected documents, files and computer systems at the institution. Investigators later seized certain documents and computer hard disks for further examination as part of the ongoing NEET-UG paper leak probe.
