NEET paper leak case: CBI arrests Pune lecturer linked to NTA, says exam questions shared during tuition class

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Pune-based Chemistry lecturer, accusing him of masterminding the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak that forced the cancellation of the nationwide medical entrance examination.

The accused, identified as PV Kulkarni, was allegedly linked to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and had access to confidential examination material as part of the panel involved in setting NEET question papers over the years, officials said.

According to the CBI, Kulkarni leaked Chemistry questions and answers to a group of NEET aspirants during secret coaching sessions conducted at his Pune residence in the final week of April, days before the exam held on May 3.

The agency claimed the lecturer dictated questions, multiple-choice options and correct answers during the sessions, while students copied them by hand into notebooks. Investigators said the handwritten notes recovered from students matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper.

Kulkarni, a retired college professor, was detained for questioning on May 14 before being formally arrested. His alleged associate, Manisha Waghmare, was also arrested in connection with the case.

“The questions so dictated were handwritten by students in their notebooks and have exactly tallied with the actual question paper,” the CBI said in a statement, adding that aspirants had allegedly paid several lakhs of rupees to attend the sessions.

The central agency said Kulkarni’s arrest had helped identify the “actual source” of the Chemistry paper leak.

So far, seven people have been arrested as part of the multi-state investigation. Among them are Rajasthan residents Mangi Lal and Dinesh Biwal, who are suspected to be key links in the wider paper leak network that allegedly operated through coaching centres in Sikar.

Investigators believe the duo not only leaked this year’s paper to coaching institutes but may also have been involved in procuring and selling medical entrance exam papers in previous years.

The NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, with nearly 22 lakh students appearing for the test.

The NTA cancelled the examination on May 12 following mounting allegations of a paper leak and evidence uncovered during investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG).

According to investigators, a handwritten “guess paper” recovered during the probe showed a striking overlap with the actual exam, including all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions that appeared in the test.