Professor PV Kulkarni, a domain expert in chemistry from Latur who has for years served on panels involved in setting the NEET question paper. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
India

NEET-UG paper leak case: Delhi court remands kingpin Kulkarni to 14 days judicial custody

CBI said earlier that during the last week of April, Kulkarni mobilised students and conducted special coaching classes for them at his house in Pune.

TNIE online desk

A Delhi court on Wednesday sent Prahlad Vithalrao Kulkarni -- the alleged kingpin in the NEET-UG paper leak case -- and another accused, Shivraj Raghunath, to 14-day judicial custody.

Special Judge Vidya Prakash who was acting Duty Metropolitan Magistrate sent both of them to judicial custody till June 10.

They were produced on the day their police custody ended.

Notably, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it has arrested 13 people so far in the paper leak case.

According to the CBI, Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer in Pune, was involved in the NEET process on behalf of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and had access to question papers.

The agency said earlier that during the last week of April, Kulkarni mobilised students with the help of Manisha Waghmare, also arrested, and conducted special coaching classes for them at his house in Pune.

The CBI had earlier arrested Doctor Manoj Shirure and physics teacher Tejas Harshadkumar Shah. Both were sent to police custody till June 1.

Shirure was nabbed on Wednesday for allegedly playing a "key role" in facilitating three students, including the son of Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, who runs the Renukai Chemistry Classes (RCC) in Maharashtra's Latur, in getting chemistry questions from NEET paper setter PV Kulkarni, they said.

The other accused were identified as Shubham Khairnar, the first arrestee from Nashik, Mangilal Khatik, Vikas and Dinesh Biwal, all three arrested from Jaipur, Yash Yadav, arrested from Gurugram, and Dhananjay Lokhande, arrested from Ahilyanagar in Maharashtra.

Manisha Sanjay Havaldar was the 11th person arrested in the case.

On May 16, the CBI arrested biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare, who was part of the NTA paper-setting committee.

On May 12, the NTA cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET, held on May 3 for medical admissions amid allegations of paper leak.

A re-examination has been scheduled for June 21.

(With inputs from PTI)

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