A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of a doctor accused in the NEET paper leak case.

Special Judge Ajay Gupta rejected the bail application of paediatrician Dr Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure.

The court also extended the judicial custody of all 13 accused until August 6.

During arguments on the bail plea, the CBI claimed that the Latur-based doctor accepted Rs 5 lakh from a candidate’s family and allowed the candidate to access the leaked chemistry paper at his hospital before the examination.

The agency also told the court that Shirure had referred two other doctors to the alleged kingpin, P.V. Kulkarni, and that the children of those doctors had also allegedly benefited from the paper leak.

It alleged that the accused doctor facilitated co-accused Shivraj

Motegaonkar’s son, Aditya Motegaonkar, in accessing the leaked chemistry paper at his hospital in the third week of April, ahead of the May 3 NEET-UG examination.

The CBI further claimed that the Rs 5 lakh received from the candidate’s family was recovered from the house of Shirure’s sister. It also alleged that he had referred two other doctors to Kulkarni and that their children obtained the leaked chemistry paper after paying Rs 3 lakh each.

Vehemently opposing the bail plea, the agency said the investigation was at a crucial stage, involving the analysis of digital evidence, financial transactions, call records and the larger conspiracy. It argued that the release of the accused could prejudice both the investigation and the trial.

“The plea of absence of criminal antecedents is not decisive in the facts of the present case for grant of bail. Even a first-time accused may be denied bail where the alleged offence is grave, socially harmful and supported by prima facie material indicating conscious participation,” the agency submitted before the court.