Officials said Kulkarni, who was part of the panel that prepared NEET question papers for years, allegedly conducted special coaching sessions and dictated questions with answers to students before the May 3 examination.

The CBI has arrested a professor from Pune who is alleged to be the kingpin of the NEET paper leak case, officials said Friday.

Professor PV Kulkarni, a native of Latur and domain expert of Chemistry, was part of the panel that set the NEET question paper for years, they said.

Kulkarni was arrested at his residence in Pune, they said.

Having access to the question papers, he conducted special coaching classes at his residence, they said.

"During the last week of April, 2026, he had mobilised students, with the help of another accused, namely Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested on May 14 by CBI," an official in the know of the development said.

The official said he allegedly dictated the questions along with options and the correct answers during these special coaching classes.

The dictated questions were handwritten by students in their notebooks and "exactly matched" the actual question paper of NEET-UG 2026 Examination on May 3, the official said.

Published on May 15, 2026