India
oi-Gaurav Sharma
A simple WhatsApp message requesting him to gift a watch helped CBI score vital clues to trace the paper leak case of NEET-UG 2026 exam, according to the chargesheet filed by the agency.
The message sent by a parent to chemistry professor P V Kulkarni, who was providing private coaching to students for NEET-UG exam, led to CBI scrutinizing all of his visitors, phone call logs, and WhatsApp contacts and messages.
The CBI investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak utilized a WhatsApp message to identify NTA expert P V Kulkarni, accused of sharing exam questions with private students, aided by analysis of digital footprints like phone logs and group chats.
CBI alleged Kulkarni, who was working as NTA chemistry expert, with sharing questions of the exam with the students attending his private coaching classes at his residence, before its release.
The CBI had analyzed MIGATE (Mygate) data of Kulkarni’s housing society along with phone location data to shortlist students who visited his house as his private coaching classes were being held there, according to the charge sheet.
In addition to that, CBI managed to track some WhatsApp groups namely “Fifa world cup” and “special class” created by Kulkarni. The latter WhatsApp group was created by Kulkarni on April 25, according to the CBI chargesheet.
Further, the CBI alleged Kulkarni with conducting classes for nine students between April 25 and 27 and three students in Latur.
According to the chargesheet, Kulkarni’s phone possessed nine images of chemistry paper and answer scripts that matched with the NEET-UG exam.
However, the leaked question paper and answer script did not only reach Rajasthan but also Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, four days before the exams commenced, according to the chargesheet. The CBI alleged another accused with distributing the pdf copy of the chemistry paper among 40 to 50 hostel students the night before the exams commenced.
The case demonstrates how digital footprints helped law enforcement agencies track the alleged paper leak scandal of NEET-UG 2026 exam.
