Three days into its investigation on the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, the CBI on Friday claimed to have identified and arrested the “source” of the leak — a Pune-based chemistry professor accused of sharing confidential questions with students ahead of the examination.

The accused, identified as Professor P.V. Kulkarni, is a chemistry domain expert from Latur who had reportedly served for several years on panels involved in setting NEET question papers. He was taken into custody from his residence in Pune following what the agency described as extensive interrogation.

“P.V. Kulkarni has been arrested at Pune after thorough interrogation,” a CBI spokesperson said. According to the agency, Kulkarni allegedly misused his access to confidential examination material by conducting special coaching sessions at his residence during the last week of April, where he dictated questions, answer options and solutions that later appeared in the NEET-UG examination conducted on 3 May.

The CBI alleged that students paid several lakh rupees to attend these sessions. “During the last week of April 2026, he had mobilised students, with the help of another accused namely Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested on 14 May by CBI,” the spokesperson said.

Investigators claimed students attending the sessions wrote down the dictated questions in notebooks and later found them to “tally exactly” with the actual NEET-UG question paper.

The agency said its probe had uncovered both the original source of the leaked chemistry paper and the network of middlemen allegedly involved in recruiting students willing to pay large sums for access to the leaked material.

“In the last 24 hours, CBI has also conducted searches at several locations across the country and seized several incriminating documents, electronic gadgets and mobile phones,” the spokesperson said. The agency added that forensic and technical analysis of the seized material was currently underway.

On Thursday, the CBI had arrested Dhananjay Lokhande from Ahilyanagar and his associate Manisha Waghmare from Pune in connection with the case. According to investigators, Lokhande allegedly received the leaked paper from Waghmare and passed it on to Nashik-based Shubham Khairnar, who then shared it with Yash Yadav for further circulation.

The agency has also arrested three individuals from Jaipur — Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal — besides Yadav from Gurugram and Khairnar from Nashik. CBI officials alleged that Khairnar had informed Yadav in April that Mangilal Biwal was willing to pay Rs 10-12 lakh to obtain leaked NEET-UG 2026 questions for his younger son.

Investigators claimed Khairnar later shared between 500 and 600 questions with Yadav, allegedly promising that the material would ensure enough marks to secure admission to a reputable medical college.

According to the agency, Mangilal Biwal procured the leaked questions from Yadav, who was allegedly acquainted with his elder son Vikas Biwal, through a NEET coaching centre in Rajasthan’s Sikar. The alleged deal between Mangilal Biwal and Yadav was struck for Rs 10 lakh, officials said.

Investigators further alleged that Mangilal Biwal shared the leaked material with his son and later distributed it among relatives. Yadav allegedly also encouraged Vikas Biwal to identify more NEET aspirants to whom the leaked questions could be sold in order to recover part of the money involved in the deal.

The CBI said analysis of seized digital devices had already yielded incriminating chats, leaked question papers and other electronic evidence. Officials added that the devices would undergo forensic examination to retrieve deleted data.

The agency has registered an FIR and formed multiple teams to investigate the alleged paper leak, which led to the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination held on 3 May.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test was conducted across 551 cities in India and 14 overseas centres. Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the examination, which was administered by the National Testing Agency.

According to the NTA, information regarding alleged malpractice was received on the evening of 7 May, four days after the examination was conducted. The agency said the inputs were forwarded to central agencies the following morning for “independent verification and necessary action”.

With PTI inputs

A detailed investigation by Scroll into the counting process in West Bengal’s Rajarhat New Town Assembly constituency has reignited allegations by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) that several seats in the 23 and 29 April Assembly elections were “systematically manipulated” in favour of the BJP.

The report focused on the dramatic turnaround in Rajarhat New Town, where former Trinamool MLA Tapash Chatterjee had reportedly maintained a lead through most of the counting process before eventually losing to BJP candidate Piyush Kanodia by just 316 votes after an additional round of counting was introduced the following day.

According to the report, counting at Bidhannagar College — the designated counting centre for the constituency — progressed unusually slowly compared to other seats in West Bengal. While BJP victories in neighbouring constituencies were declared on the evening of 4 May, counting in Rajarhat New Town continued late into the night and spilled over into the next day.

The TMC alleged that the delay was deliberate. Party leaders claimed that counting was slowed in constituencies where the BJP was trailing, creating a wider perception across Bengal by afternoon that the BJP was headed for a sweeping victory. This, they alleged, demoralised TMC workers and counting agents.

As votes recorded in electronic voting machines were counted in Rajarhat New Town, Chatterjee reportedly built a lead of more than 11,000 votes after the first five rounds. Even after all 17 scheduled rounds of counting were completed late at night, he was still ahead by 316 votes, according to figures displayed at the counting centre and Election Commission data cited in the report.

However, TMC leaders alleged that the atmosphere at the counting centre changed sharply after news spread of BJP gains elsewhere in the state. Chatterjee claimed BJP workers entered the premises and intimidated Trinamool counting agents, many of whom were allegedly assaulted and forced to leave after their accreditation cards were torn up.

His daughter, municipal councillor Aratrika Bhattacharjee, told the publication that several agents emerged from the counting centre in tears and were unable to re-enter.

The report also quoted CPI(M) candidate Saptarshi Deb, who acknowledged that TMC agents appeared demoralised as BJP leads elsewhere increased. Deb further alleged that “some manipulation did take place” and claimed the BJP “was not in a position to win this seat”.

The BJP rejected all allegations. Kanodia denied any intimidation or manipulation and accused TMC of trying to avoid accepting defeat. BJP workers instead claimed that technical issues during counting required verification through paper slips generated by an electronic voting machine.

The controversy deepened the following day when Election Commission records reportedly showed an unexpected 18th round of counting. In that additional round, the BJP candidate received 637 votes while Chatterjee received only five votes — a dramatic shift compared to earlier rounds, where the TMC candidate had consistently polled far higher.

The additional votes ultimately reversed the result and handed the BJP a 316-vote victory — exactly matching Chatterjee’s earlier lead margin.

The report stated that election officials did not publicly clarify why an additional counting round had been added. Attempts by the publication to contact returning officer Mohammed Alimuddin and district election officials reportedly received no response.

Reacting to the investigation, Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh told National Herald that the Rajarhat New Town case reflected what she described as a much broader pattern across West Bengal.

“This is just one case which is reported in depth about how BJP and its central poll machinery looted the TMC seats. If such investigations are conducted, one would find scores of seats where the same thing had happened,” Ghosh said.

She further alleged that similar intimidation had taken place at other counting centres across the state. “I myself was there in a counting centre where most TMC agents were drove out forcefully after destroying their cards,” she claimed.

Ghosh said TMC had already approached the courts regarding alleged irregularities in the election process and remained hopeful of judicial intervention. “We have already approached the court and we hope to get justice,” she said.

She also announced that the party, along with constituents of the INDIA bloc, was preparing for nationwide protests over what it described as post-poll violence against TMC workers and alleged electoral malpractice in Bengal. “We are going to start a nationwide protest with the INDIA alliance members against post-poll violence on our workers and vote loot in Bengal,” she said.

The allegations surrounding Rajarhat New Town remain politically sensitive, with the constituency emerging as one of the most frequently cited examples used by TMC to support its charge that Central agencies and election authorities acted in favour of the BJP during the fiercely contested Bengal election.

Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday, 15 May, announced that NAFED would procure onions at Rs 12.35 per kg, during a programme in Maharashtra’s Satara district. However, onion farmers in the state are far from satisfied with the procurement price, arguing that it is too low considering cultivation, labour and transportation costs.

Farmers are demanding a subsidy of at least Rs 1,500-2,000 per quintal and a minimum support price of Rs 30 per kg. They have also sought the immediate release of pending onion subsidies and financial assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh.

Farmers across Maharashtra, especially small and marginal cultivators, are deeply distressed by the ongoing price crash. In some mandis, onion prices have reportedly fallen to as low as 50 paise to Re 1 per kg. In Nashik and several other major agricultural market committees, prices have dropped to between Rs 300 and Rs 1,000 per quintal, far below production costs.

Farmers blame the Centre’s export restrictions for depressing onion prices and fuelling losses.

Maharashtra is India’s largest onion-producing state, accounting for nearly 35.45 per cent of the country’s total production. According to market reports for May, there is a significant mismatch between supply and demand in the state. Production has reportedly risen by nearly 70 per cent, but weak domestic and overseas demand, particularly from Gulf countries, has kept prices under pressure.

In Solapur mandi, onion prices have reportedly fallen so sharply due to bumper production and weak demand that farmers are struggling to recover even their basic costs, with some allegedly being forced to burn their crop in the fields.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed Chouhan’s announcement of the new procurement rate, saying farmers had been facing severe distress because of collapsing onion prices, which in some places had fallen to Rs 1-2 per kg. “Farmers were being forced to throw away their produce. This decision will provide them major relief,” Fadnavis said.

The Opposition, however, questioned the government’s policies and dismissed the announcement as an “event”, demanding that farmers receive fair compensation for their produce.

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti blamed the Centre’s policies for the sharp decline in onion prices and described the government’s assistance as inadequate.

According to Shetti, the government had failed to provide meaningful relief to farmers. He demanded that onions be removed from the Essential Commodities Act and that export restrictions be lifted completely.

Despite the procurement announcement, anger among onion farmers showed little sign of easing. Farmers staged a road blockade protest on the Nagar-Kalyan highway in Ahmednagar on Thursday and threw onions onto the roads to express their anger. In Mumbai too, protesters demonstrated outside Mantralaya and hurled onions in protest, following which police detained several demonstrators.

The onion farmers had joined a protest march led by Raju Shetti along with mango and cashew farmers. The march had the support of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar-led NCP and several other Opposition parties.

Police, however, did not permit the protesters to march towards the Chief Minister’s official residence, Varsha, and stopped several senior leaders and workers at Azad Maidan.

The exasperation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant appeared to get the better of him on Friday, 15 May, during the hearing of a petition filed by a lawyer alleging that he was being ignored by the Delhi High Court for designation as a senior advocate.

Even if the high court designated him, the CJI said, the apex court would undo it because "he did not deserve" the designation, which is conferred on lawyers and not pursued by them, a visibly irritated CJI pointed out. He even dictated the order before eventually relenting and allowing the lawyer to apologise and withdraw the petition.

There appeared to be several bogus lawyers in Delhi, the CJI observed, adding that he was seriously contemplating ordering a CBI investigation into the authenticity of law degrees.

“Let people understand the kind of language you are using on Facebook. I will show you what is the meaning of discipline in the profession," the CJI said. "Is a senior advocate tag a status symbol which is ornamental to be kept or for your participation in the justice system?" asked Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who was on the Bench with the CJI.

"There are already parasites in society. And you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches who are not getting employment in the profession. Some are on social media, some become RTI activists. And you people file contempt petitions because the High Court is not taking up something. Rubbish!" the CJI said.

"I am waiting for some matter...I want the CBI to verify the LLB degrees of most of the Delhi people...in Tis Hazari so and so...the kind of Facebook and things they are putting....do they think we are not watching? The Bar Council of India will not do anything...thousands of them are fraudulent people who are wearing black robes...I have serious doubts on the genuineness of their law degrees. Probably CBI will have to do something. BCI will never do, because they are hands in glove, they are absolutely in collusion," he added.

Stating that there were enough "parasites" in society who were attacking the judiciary, the CJI said lawyers should not join hands with them.

The observations, reported by legal portals Live Law and Bar & Bench, shocked some people.

“The Chief Justice of India called unemployed youth, journalists, RTI activists, and social media users ‘parasites’ and ‘cockroaches’ attacking the system. These are citizens of India. The same citizens whose collective will crafted the Constitution. The same Constitution that established the courts. The same courts that give the CJI every gram of his authority. (Yet) he is sitting on a throne, calling the people who built it an infestation. This is Indian neo-feudalism in its purest form,” fumed an outraged citizen.

What, however, is perhaps an even more pertinent question to ask is how a frivolous and relatively unimportant petition found its way to the CJI’s Bench. If the CJI’s Bench has to deal with such petitions on a daily basis, Justice Surya Kant’s exasperation becomes easier to understand.

Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against former Yes Bank managing director and CEO Rana Kapoor, senior bank official Sudhir Walia and others over the alleged illegal transfer of mortgaged properties worth around Rs 1,000 crore linked to HDIL group entities, an official said on Friday, 15 May.

The case was registered at Worli police station on a complaint filed by Lakhminder Dayal Singh, associated with Saffair Land Development, a sister concern of Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL).

According to the FIR, another HDIL group company, Privilege Power and Infrastructure, had availed a loan of Rs 300 crore from the Worli branch of Yes Bank in 2015. Subsequently, Saffair Land Development sought a loan of Rs 150 crore due to financial difficulties, which was sanctioned by the bank in 2016.

To secure the loan, properties belonging to HDIL and its group companies, collectively valued at around Rs 1,000 crore, were mortgaged with the bank. The repayment period for the loan was fixed at 36 months.

However, Singh alleged that in June 2018, before the repayment tenure had expired, Yes Bank authorised Suraksha Asset Reconstruction Pvt Ltd to recover Rs 176.53 crore from his company.

The complainant claimed that the mortgaged properties were illegally transferred to Suraksha ARC even though the loan account had not been classified as a Non-Performing Asset (NPA). He cited findings from a 2019 special audit report in support of the allegation. Singh further alleged that the properties were subsequently sold at prices below prevailing market rates.

The complaint also accused Yes Bank officials of routing Rs 22.5 crore as margin money to Suraksha ARC through multiple accounts as part of an alleged conspiracy to take control of the mortgaged assets.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 409 for criminal breach of trust and Section 120B for criminal conspiracy, the official said. No arrests have been made so far and further investigation is underway, police added.

With PTI inputs

The Congress on Friday launched a twin attack on the Narendra Modi government over the hike in petrol and diesel prices and its recent messaging on gold purchases, accusing the Centre of burdening ordinary citizens while hurting small businesses and traditional livelihoods.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the fuel price hike, saying the public was being forced to pay for the Modi government’s mistakes.

His remarks came after petrol and diesel prices were increased by Rs 3 per litre each — the first hike in more than four years — as state-run fuel retailers passed on part of the impact of surging global crude oil prices triggered by the Iran war.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “Galti Modi sarkar ki, keemat janta chukayegi (the public will pay the price for the Modi government's mistake). The Rs 3 shock has already arrived, the rest of the vasooli (recovery) will be done in instalments.”

CNG prices in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai were also raised by Rs 2 per kg. Petrol in Delhi now costs Rs 97.77 per litre, up from Rs 94.77, while diesel prices have risen to Rs 90.67 from Rs 87.67 per litre previously. Fuel prices vary across states because of differences in VAT rates.

Global crude oil prices have surged more than 50 per cent since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February and Tehran’s retaliatory actions that disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments.

Despite the rise in crude prices, retail fuel rates had remained frozen for months, with the government claiming it was shielding consumers from international volatility. Opposition parties, however, alleged that the freeze was politically motivated because several states were going to the polls.

The hike came after the completion of Assembly elections in five states, including West Bengal, where the BJP came to power for the first time.

Joining the broader attack on the Centre’s economic policies, Congress general-secretary Randeep Surjewala accused the Modi government of pushing the jewellery sector towards an “undeclared lockdown” through its appeal to defer gold purchases and the subsequent increase in import duty on gold and silver.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Surjewala termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to avoid buying gold for a year a “death warrant” for the jewellery sector and demanded a special economic package for the 3.5 crore people linked to the industry.

He alleged that the increase in import duty on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent would hurt legitimate jewellers while encouraging smuggling and illegal trade. “The Modi government should immediately announce a special economic relief package for 3.5 crore goldsmiths, traders, artisans and workers involved in the gold jewellery industry,” Surjewala said.

He argued that more than 90 per cent of India’s jewellery trade operates through MSMEs and small jewellers, with lakhs of artisans and workers dependent on the sector for survival.

Calling the advisory “disastrous”, Surjewala said it amounted to an attack on traditional artisans, backward communities and cultural practices where gold plays an important social and economic role.

The Congress leader also alleged that the jewellery sector had already suffered due to demonetisation, GST implementation, excise duty measures and mandatory hallmarking norms. Sharpening his attack, Surjewala recalled Modi’s April 2024 election speech in Rajasthan’s Banswara, where the prime minister had accused the Opposition of wanting to “snatch mangalsutras” from women.

He questioned the contradiction between those remarks and the present advice discouraging gold purchases.

The Congress also questioned why the government and the Reserve Bank had increased sovereign gold holdings from 794.64 metric tonnes in September 2025 to 880.52 metric tonnes by March 2026 while advising citizens against buying gold jewellery.

Surjewala claimed the gems and jewellery sector contributes more than 7 per cent to India’s GDP and nearly 12 per cent of exports, with over 85 per cent of exporters belonging to the MSME category.

He cited official data to claim that tens of thousands of MSMEs had shut down in recent years, leading to large-scale job losses, and alleged that the Centre’s policies were worsening the crisis for small businesses and traditional sectors.

With PTI inputs