Pune: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims to have made a major breakthrough by arresting the ‘kingpin’ behind the NEET UG 2026 paper leak.
Chemistry professor P V Kulkarni, who was allegedly the source of the leaked question paper, was associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA), ThePrint reported.
Originally from Pune, Kulkarni was part of the committee that set the question paper for the exam, multiple sources confirmed.
“He was teaching in Dayanand Science college in Latur and was also involved with the setting of the NEET paper. It is from him that the paper was first leaked,” a source told ThePrint.
“He had leaked the paper in exchange for a huge some of money. Those details, however, will become clear in due course,” the source added.
The professor was arrested in Pune and will be taken to Delhi. “His transit remand is being taken,” the first source said.
This exposes the involvement of insiders in the leak, which could not be established in the earlier leak of 2024.
Earlier, the CBI had found that Pune-based Dhananjay Lokhande received the leaked question paper from his “source” within the NTA.
Lokhande, originally from Maharashtra’s Ahilyangar district, has been based in Pune for the last few years. Lokhande, who runs a career counselling firm in Pune, along with his agent, Pune-based businesswoman Manisha Waghmare, was arrested by the CBI earlier.
The agency has, till now, made seven arrests in the case since launching its probe on Tuesday.
Abhishek Singh, DG, NTA, told the media house that he was not aware of the CBI findings in the case.
Lokhande was produced before a local court where the CBI claimed that he obtained a copy of the leaked question paper from Waghmare.
“The accused Dhananjay Nivrutti Lokhande, collected NEET examination 2026 material from co-accused Manisha Waghmare, who is a resident of Pune,” the agency argued before the court in its remand application.
He was remanded to six days CBI remand by the court. Waghmare has also been arrested and will be produced before a court in Delhi on Saturday.
