NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak: CBI Arrests Latur Professor PV Kulkarni Named ‘Kingpin’ Of Racket

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has nabbed a Maharashtra college professor, alleging that he was the mastermind behind the leak of this year’s NEET-UG medical entrance paper. The arrest of a professor has raised concerns that seriously undermine public trust in the National Testing Agency (NTA). The accused, identified as Professor PV Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer at Latur’s Dayanand Medical College, was taken into custody in Pune, with the investigating team naming him “kingpin” of the operation.

According to reports, PV Kulkarni was a member of the committee responsible for drafting the NEET-UG 2026 question paper, giving him authorised access to the examination material in the weeks before the test. The CBI asserted that his arrest was a turning point in the inquiry, which has now shifted the focus directly to an insider role from the very start of the probe. 

Following the arrest, the central probe agency carried out searches at multiple locations across the country, seizing electronic devices, mobile phones, and incriminating documents. At least 8 people have now been detained in connection with the case, with 5 remanded to 7-day police custody. The investigation began on May 12 after a formal complaint from the Department of Higher Education.

How The Leak Was Allegedly Organised

According to the CBI, Kulkarni exploited his position during the final week of April 2026 to orchestrate a covert operation with the help of an accomplice, identified as Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested on May 14. The investigating officials claimed that PV Kulkarni held private coaching sessions at his Pune residence for a select group of students who had paid several lakhs of rupees for access. During these meetings, he said to have dictated specific questions, answer options and the correct responses.

The forensic analysis of notebooks seized from the students reportedly showed that their handwritten notes match the actual NEET-UG 2026 paper set on May 3 with striking precision. The agency believed that the evidence linked the sessions directly to the leaked content and confirmed that the questions were shared in advance.

The officials stated that Kulkarni, a resident of Maharashtra's Latur, a city known for its concentration of medical coaching centres, was operating out of Pune when the CBI moved in for investigation. After initial questioning, he was produced before a Pune court for a transit remand and is being transferred to New Delhi for further interrogation by senior officials. 

As per the officials, the CBI has spent the last 24 hours intensifying its crackdown, with raids conducted nationwide to trace the full extent of the network.

The officials also visited the NTA headquarters on Wednesday to secure records relating to the chain of custody of the question papers, from drafting through to final distribution. 

Blow To The Testing Agency’s Reputation

The arrest of a paper-setter has delivered a massive embarrassment to the NTA, which has already faced scrutiny over examination integrity in recent years. The revelation that a committee member allegedly sold access to the paper strikes at the heart of the agency’s claim to run secure, impartial examinations for millions of students.

Meanwhile, with 8 arrests made across Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune and Ahliyanagar, the CBI appeared to be broadening its inquiry beyond Maharashtra. The agency has not ruled out further detentions as they trace financial transactions and communications linked to the alleged racket.