The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made an arrest in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. The accused, identified as Chemistry lecturer P.V. Kulkarni, allegedly had access to the confidential question papers. Investigations revealed that Kulkarni organized coaching sessions where he dictated questions and answers related to the Chemistry paper used in the exam.
CBI officials disclosed that Kulkarni conducted these coaching sessions for selected students at his Pune residence. The students wrote down the questions and answers, which were later found to match the actual Chemistry paper used in the NEET-UG 2026 exam. Another accused, Manisha Waghmare, reportedly assisted in mobilizing the students for these sessions and has also been arrested.
Kulkarni, who hails from Maharashtra’s Latur district, was apprehended in Pune after thorough interrogation. In the past 24 hours, CBI teams conducted searches at various locations nationwide, seizing incriminating documents, electronic gadgets, and mobile phones. The agency is currently analyzing the seized material forensically and technically.
The CBI initiated the case following a complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education regarding the alleged paper leak. Multiple special investigation teams were formed, and coordinated searches were carried out across the country. Seven suspects have been arrested from different locations, with five already in police custody for further questioning.
The investigation is ongoing, with the source of the paper leak identified and the middlemen involved in mobilizing students for the coaching classes also identified. The accused are being processed through legal procedures, with some already in custody and others awaiting transit to Delhi for further legal action.
