NEET 2025 Aftermath: 10 arrested for duping aspirants with Paper leaks, Proxies

New Delhi: A day after the National Eligibility-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2025 exam was conducted, three interstate rackets involving fraudsters targeting NEET aspirants were uncovered across three states - Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. In three separate incidents, a total of 10 people have been arrested in connection with the exam-related fraud case.

In Odisha, four individuals were held for allegedly accepting around Rs 20- 30 lakh from NEET aspirants in exchange for promises of admission to medical colleges. In Rajasthan, three were arrested for attempting to deceive a candidate by offering access to the question paper in return for Rs 40 lakh. Meanwhile, in Noida, three others were detained for allegedly demanding Rs 5 lakh from aspirants with the false assurance of helping them pass the exam.

According to a latest PTI report, the medical entrance exam NEET-UG was held at more than 5,400 centres around the country on May 4 amid strict monitoring and security measures. More than 22.7 lakh candidates had registered for the test. 

Also read- NEET 2025: Bihar Police Warns of Fake Paper Leak Calls, Issues Cyber Fraud Alert

Mock drills were held at all National Eligibility Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) centres on Saturday to ensure smooth conduct of the nationwide exam. Most of the centres were located in government and government-aided schools, colleges, universities and institutions.

During this, the police team from three states, ahead of the exam day and on the exam day itself, nabbed these 10 individuals who are members of interstate gangs. They allegedly attempted to exploit NEET aspirants by falsely promising them admission and assistance with exam papers in exchange for money.

Odisha

The four persons arrested from Odisha by the Bhubaneswar Special Crime Unit on Saturday were identified as Priyadarshi Kumar from Jharkhand, Arvind Kumar from Bihar, and Sunil Samantray and Rudra Narayan Behera from Odisha.  

The Police commissioner told PTI that the gang used to take money from medical aspirants by promising them admission to medical colleges. The gang had plans to engage dummy candidates to write the examination and was charging Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakh per candidate

"The modus operandi involved local scouts who procured NEET aspirant details, including Aadhaar cards, facilitating their registration. Once the admit cards are obtained, they are transferred to operatives in Bihar. It is suspected that proxy candidates take the NEET exam by manipulating the admit card details," a statement issued by police said.

Rajasthan

Special Operations Group of Rajasthan Police arrested three persons for allegedly trying to dupe a NEET candidate of Rs 40 lakh by promising him the question paper. 

The accused were identified as Balwan, Mukesh Meena, and Hardas. On Friday, the three took the student and his family members to Gurugram and asked for the money, at which point the student's family asked them to show the paper.

When they refused, they contacted the SOG, which apprehended the three on Saturday, reports PTI.

Noida

The Noida unit of the Special Task Force (STF) has recently uncovered a gang accused of cheating NEET-UG aspirants by demanding money under the pretence of helping them clear the exam. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.

The arrested suspects, identified as Vikram Kumar Sahu, Dharmpal Singh, and Aniket, are all residents of Delhi.

According to police, the gang targeted students and their families, promising to secure admission in exchange for large sums of money. Investigations revealed that Vikram Kumar Sahu told the police that he got admission in Biotechnology at Vinayaka Mission University in Chennai in 2011. He, along with Aniket, allegedly facilitated admissions at the university in return for a 30 per cent commission. After completing his postgraduation studies, Vikram moved to Delhi, where he met Dharmpal Singh.

The accused registered a company named 'Admission View' and collected the data of MBBS candidates. They began calling them, and under the pretext of securing a seat, the accused demanded Rs 5 lakh per candidate under the pretext of getting the aspirant a seat in the college and fled.

"After multiple complaints were registered against them in 2023, they formed a new company, Shreyanvi EDU OPC PVT LTD and began committing the same fraud," Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Noida, Raj Kumar Mishra told PTI.

As the NEET-UG exam approached, they again collected data of their candidates and made calls to demand money under the pretext of facilitating the aspirants in passing their exam.

Police received information on their fraud, and acting on it, the accused were arrested on Saturday. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. STF recovered 10 mobile phones, two Aadhaar cards, a data sheet of the candidates, pan cards, a cheque book, voter ID cards, a passport and a car among other things.

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