NEET 2026 Leak Case: CBI Chargesheet Likely This Week Against PV Kulkarni, 12 Others, Say Sources

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to file its chargesheet this week in the high-profile NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, naming retired professor PV Kulkarni and 12 others as accused, sources told CNN-News18.

According to sources, the agency has completed its investigation into the alleged conspiracy and is ready to place before the court the evidence it claims establishes the role of the accused in leaking and circulating portions of the NEET-UG 2026 Chemistry paper ahead of the examination.

The development comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the investigation into the alleged paper leak would be fast-tracked, with the government promising swift action against those responsible.

The forthcoming chargesheet is expected

to detail the alleged roles of the accused, the digital trail uncovered during the investigation, forensic findings and the manner in which the leaked material was allegedly circulated across multiple states.

NO EVIDENCE OF INSTITUTIONAL CORRUPTION IN NTA

Earlier this month, while opposing the bail plea of one of the accused before a Delhi court, the CBI said it had not found evidence of institutional corruption within the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET examination.

According to the agency’s submissions and sources familiar with the investigation, investigators examined the functioning of the NTA extensively to determine whether any officials had accepted money or other benefits in exchange for leaking the examination paper.

However, no evidence of financial corruption or quid pro quo involving NTA officials was found.

Instead, the agency is understood to have concluded that the alleged leak was made possible because of serious procedural lapses and negligence rather than an organised criminal conspiracy within the testing body.

Sources had earlier indicated that the CBI was expected to recommend strict departmental action against officials found negligent and suggest a comprehensive overhaul of the NTA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen examination security.

MULTI-STATE LEAK NETWORK ALLEGEDLY UNCOVERED

According to the investigation, the alleged paper leak was orchestrated through a network operating across several states.

Among those expected to be named in the chargesheet is PV Kulkarni, a retired professor, translator and former member associated with the NTA.

Investigators allege that Kulkarni dictated Chemistry questions during exclusive coaching sessions organised for select students after allegedly receiving around Rs 5 lakh.

The material was allegedly circulated as a “guess paper”, but investigators claimed forensic analysis showed that nearly 90 per cent of the questions matched those that eventually appeared in the Chemistry section of the NEET-UG 2026 examination.

The CBI also alleged that the batches were organised with the assistance of co-accused Manisha Waghmare, who allegedly worked as an education consultant.

COACHING OPERATOR, DOCTOR ALSO NAMED

The chargesheet is also expected to name Shivraj Motegaonkar, owner of Renukai Chemistry Classes in Latur, Maharashtra, as one of the principal accused.

According to the CBI’s investigation, Motegaonkar allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to obtain the leaked questions and, with the help of co-accused Dr Manoj Shirur, accessed the paper before the examination.

Investigators alleged that Motegaonkar received the leaked material on April 23, 2026, at Siddhivinayak Hospital in Latur, several days before the examination.

The agency further claimed that he attempted to destroy evidence after the examination.

His son, Aditya Motegaonkar, is also under investigation. According to the CBI, he attended Kulkarni’s special classes, prepared handwritten notes and allegedly helped circulate PDFs containing the leaked questions through Telegram.

DIGITAL, FORENSIC EVIDENCE FORM KEY PART OF PROBE

The CBI’s case is expected to rely heavily on digital and forensic evidence recovered during the investigation.

According to sources, forensic analysis traced the circulation of the leaked PDFs through Telegram across Pune, Latur, Nashik, Kota and Gurugram.

Investigators also recovered 36 images, including five duplicates, from Shivraj Motegaonkar’s mobile phone.

The images allegedly contained 132 handwritten Chemistry questions photographed on April 23, nearly a week before the examination.

The CBI had earlier informed the court that forensic examination found 111 of those questions matched the NTA’s master question sets prepared for NEET-UG 2026.

The agency also relied on handwriting experts who, according to sources, linked the handwritten notes to Kulkarni.