NEET-UG Paper Leak: Pune Chemistry Lecturer Identified As Kingpin As CBI Cracks The Case

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday cracked the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case. The probe agency has managed to identify a kingpin who was the source of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper leak. The CBI investigation revealed that PV Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer, was involved in the process of examination on behalf of NTA. As per the investigation, Kulkarni had access to the question papers. The lecturer was detained in Latur, and the CBI is bringing him to Delhi. The probe agency Till now eight accused have been arrested in connection with the case.How Paper Leak Took Place:As per the CBI, during the last week of April, he had mobilised students, with the help of another accused, namely Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested on May

14 by the CBI. He conducted special coaching classes for these students at his residence in Pune.Kulkarni dictated the questions along with options and the correct answers during these special coaching classes, and the questions so dictated were handwritten by students in their notebooks and exactly tallied with the actual question paper of the NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3. Kulkarni has been arrested in Pune after thorough interrogation. He originally belongs to Latur.Also Read: 'NEET To Be Held Online From Next Year': Dharmendra Pradhan Breaks Silence Over NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak In the last 24 hours, the CBI has 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.

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The CBI registered this case on May 12 in connection with the paper leak. based on the written complaint given by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India pertaining to alleged paper leak of NEET-UG 2026 examination. Immediately after registration of the case, special teams were formed, searches were conducted at various locations across the country, and several suspects were picked up and interrogated. CBI Probe Deepens:Till yesterday, seven accused have been arrested from Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, and Ahliyanagar. Out of these, five accused have already been produced before the court and taken into seven days' police custody remand for detailed interrogation. Other two accused who were arrested yesterday are being produced before the court in Pune for taking transit remand and are being shifted to the Delhi court. Investigation is continuing with the special teams, and the investigation conducted so far has brought out the actual source of the leakage of the chemistry paper as well as the middlemen involved in mobilizing the students who paid several lakhs of rupees to attend the special coaching classes where these question banks were dictated/discussed.