The Central Bureau of Investigation identified and arrested the alleged kingpin of the NEET-UG paper leak: chemistry teacher PV Kulkarni, who is originally from Latur but worked and was caught from Pune in Maharashtra.
The agency said on Friday evening that Kulkarni was involved in the medical admission exam process with the National Testing Agency (NTA), and thus had access to the question papers. Further detail on him as such was not shared.
How he transmitted questions
In the last week of April 2026 he had mobilised students, with the help of another accused, Manisha Waghmare, and conducted special coaching classes for those students at his residence in Pune, CBI officials said.
The paper, since cancelled, was held on May 3, and is now to be reconducted on June 21. Over 22 lakh students took the exam, which means it’s India’s biggest such test.
Kulkarni allegedly dictated the questions along with the options and the correct answers during these special classes. These details he dictated were handwritten by students into their notebooks, and have “exactly tallied” with the actual question paper of NEET-UG 2026 examination, the officials added.
Where the probe stands
Details shared by the CBI, which took over the case after it initially came to light in Rajasthan on May 7, said that investigation led to Kulkarni after the CBI also conducted searches at several locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents, electronic gadgets and mobile phones.
Detailed forensic and technical analysis of the seized items is going on, said the CBI noted.
The CBI registered the case on May 12, based on a formal complaint by the Union ministry of education. Special teams were then formed.
By May 14, seven accused had been arrested from Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune and Ahliyanagar. Out of these, five accused have already been produced before the court and taken into seven days of custody remand for detailed interrogation.
The other two accused who were arrested on Thursday were now being produced before a court in Pune for transit remand for Delhi.
“The probe so far has brought out the actual source of the leakage of Chemistry paper as well as the middlemen involved in mobilising the students who paid several lakhs of rupees to attend the special coaching classes where these question banks were dictated/discussed. The CBI is committed to comprehensive, impartial and professional investigation in this case,” the agency noted added.
