Breaking Bad? Chemistry lecturer from Pune named as alleged NEET-UG 2026 leak kingpin

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday said it has identified the alleged kingpin behind the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper leak, claiming the accused had access to the question papers through his role in the examination process conducted on behalf of the National Testing Agency.

According to the agency, P.V. Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer associated with the examination process, allegedly leaked questions to a group of students ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 exam held on May 3.

The CBI said that during the last week of April, Kulkarni, with the help of another accused identified as Manisha Waghmare, allegedly gathered students and conducted special coaching sessions at his residence in Pune. Waghmare was arrested by the agency on May 14.


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Investigators alleged that Kulkarni dictated questions, answer options and correct responses during these sessions, while students wrote them down in notebooks. The agency claimed the handwritten questions matched exactly with the actual NEET-UG 2026 examination paper.

The CBI said a total of seven accused have so far been arrested from Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune and Ahilyanagar in connection with the case.

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Of the seven arrested, five have already been produced before a court and remanded to seven-day police custody for detailed interrogation. The remaining two accused, arrested on Thursday, are being produced before a court in Pune for transit remand and will subsequently be shifted to Delhi for further proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies)