The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended the primary suspect behind the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, identifying the culprit as PV Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer tasked with assisting the National Testing Agency (NTA). Investigations suggest that Kulkarni leveraged his position to gain unauthorized access to exam materials. Alongside a previously arrested accomplice, Manisha Waghmare, Kulkarni reportedly hosted clandestine coaching sessions at his Pune residence in late April. During these meetings, he allegedly dictated exact questions and answers, which students meticulously transcribed, matching the content of the final May 3 examination paper.

This high-profile arrest brings the total number of individuals taken into custody to eight, with other suspects apprehended across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Haryana. As the CBI continues to broaden its probe, the United Doctors Front (UDF) has escalated the matter by petitioning the Supreme Court. Challenging the NTA’s integrity, the organization has called for the agency’s dissolution, citing a systemic collapse in the examination process and demanding comprehensive structural reforms to restore public confidence in India's medical entrance system.