New Delhi, May 16 The investigation into the NEET UG 2026 paper leak continues to deepen. Now, another major arrest has been made in this case. According to CBI sources, a biology lecturer has been arrested. With this, a total of 9 people have been arrested in this high-profile case so far.
Previously, the CBI arrested the mastermind of the case, chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni. The investigating agency claims that Kulkarni had been involved in the National Testing Agency (NTA) examination process for a long time and had access to the question papers.
According to the CBI, PV Kulkarni, along with his associate Manisha Waghmare, began recruiting students in the last week of April. Manisha Waghmare was arrested on May 14. The investigation revealed that special coaching classes were held for select students at Kulkarni’s Pune residence. In these classes, students were dictated questions, their options, and correct answers, which they wrote in their notebooks.
The investigating agency states that the questions written in the students’ notebooks exactly match the actual question paper of the NEET UG 2026 exam held on May 3. Kulkarni, originally from Latur district in Maharashtra, was taken to Pune on transit remand and is being brought to Delhi from there.
The CBI stated that seven people were previously arrested in this case from Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar. Five of these accused have already been sent to CBI remand for seven days, while the remaining accused are being brought to Delhi via transit remand.
In the past 24 hours, the CBI has conducted raids at several locations across the country, seizing several important documents, mobile phones, and electronic gadgets. Forensic and technical investigations are now underway.
The investigation has also revealed that PV Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare were running an organized syndicate. This network targeted students based on their financial and educational status. Seminars were held at various locations, and former students, especially those with engineering backgrounds, were used as agents.
The entire matter came to light when some parents in Latur complained that 42 questions asked in a mock test at a coaching institute were identical to the actual NEET UG exam paper. Following this, the local police launched an investigation, and the case was later handed over to the CBI.
The CBI is now questioning PV Kulkarni about all the exam papers he prepared during his tenure. According to sources, the investigating agency suspects he may be involved in several other cases, including the NEET 2024 paper leak.
