In a major breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Pune-based chemistry lecturer P.V. Kulkarni, accusing him of being the kingpin behind the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The agency has so far arrested eight accused in the case.

According to the agency, investigations revealed that Mr. Kulkarni had access to the question papers as he was allegedly involved in the examination process on behalf of the National Testing Agency (NTA). During the last week of April 2026, he allegedly mobilised students with the help of co-accused Manisha Waghmare, a beauty salon owner who was arrested by the CBI on May 14.

The “kingpin” conducted special coaching classes for the students at his residence in Pune. During these sessions, he allegedly dictated questions, answer options, and correct responses, which students wrote down in their notebooks. The questions reportedly matched exactly with those in the actual NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3, the agency said.

Mr. Kulkarni was arrested in Pune after a detailed interrogation. He originally belongs in Maharashtra’s Latur.

“In the last 24 hours, the CBI has also carried out searches at several locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents, electronic gadgets, and mobile phones. Detailed forensic and technical analysis of the seized items is under way,” an official said.

The agency had earlier arrested seven accused persons, including Ms. Waghmare. The others were identified as Dhananjay Lokhande from Ahilyanagar and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik in Maharashtra; Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, and Dinesh Biwal from Jaipur, Rajasthan; and Yash Yadav from Gurugram, Haryana.

Of them, five accused are currently in CBI custody for interrogation. The remaining two are being produced before a court in Pune to secure transit remand for their transfer to Delhi for further proceedings.

The agency registered the case on May 12 following a written complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. Special teams were subsequently formed to pursue leads and track down suspects.

“The investigation so far has revealed the source of the chemistry paper leak as well as the role of middlemen involved in mobilising students who paid several lakhs of rupees to attend the special coaching classes where these question banks were dictated and discussed,” the agency said.

The CBI has been working in coordination with the police in several States, including Rajasthan and Maharashtra, to unearth the entire network behind the distribution of the “guess paper” that closely matched the actual paper. It was circulated and sold mostly through encrypted messaging applications.

Following allegations of irregularities, the NTA had cancelled the NEET-UG test and has now announced that it will be held again on June 21.