Patna HC to now Consider NEET Paper Leak Scandal, PIL Filed Seeking CBI Probe, Exam Cancellation
Patna: The alleged paper leak scandal involving the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) examination has now reached the Patna High Court as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in this connection demanding cancellation of the examination.
According to recent report by Lawtrend, the plea also called for an investigation of the paper leak scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
This development comes at a time when the NEET UG aspirants have been demanding re-conduction of the exam citing the reports of paper leak in the common entrance test for undergraduate medical courses. Around 13 people, including four examinees and their family members were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of NEET-UG exam.
Patna police sources had earlier claimed that the NEET-UG question papers along with their answers were provided to around 20 aspirants a day before the date of the exam i.e. May 5, 2024. Recently, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, which took over the investigation, revealed that the brokers involved in the NEET paper leak scam took between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh from each of the medical aspirants in exchange of giving them the question paper of the NEET UG 2024 question paper ahead of the examination.
EOU had earlier mentioned in a release that as per the investigation, the question papers of NEET-UG and their answers were provided to around 35 aspirants before the May 5 exam.
As per the latest media report by Law Trend, lawyer Vishal Saurav filed the PIL on behalf of advocate Sujit Kumar Sinha. Approaching the HC bench, the petitioner demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The plea claimed that the future of millions of students were at stake because of the alleged paper leak scandal.
Already, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at the Shastrinagar Police Station confirming the alleged paper leak in the medical entrance exam. Apart from detaining 13 suspects, the police have also obtained a scanned copy of the leaker paper, which was found sent to a young man’s mobile in Danapur. Further, Purnia and Hajipur police arrested four and one fake candidates respectively for attempting to appear in the test on behalf of others.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Bihar Police had arrested more than two dozen individuals, including 14 impersonators and candidates for cheating in the NEET UG 2024 exam. Among those arrested, an FIR was registered against 14 people, who were accused of impersonating registered candidates during the examination. During the interrogation, the accused known as "solvers" had revealed that Rs 5-10 lakh each was given to several centres by the gang members.
Earlier the National Testing Agency (NTA) had issued a clarification ensuring fair conduct of the NEET 2024 examination and it allowed 120 candidates to reappear for the exam after the question papers were distributed incorrectly at an exam centre. While several social media posts claimed that NEET 2-24 question paper was leaked, NTA had denied such claims.
In the notice, NTA stated that "it assures the public that apart from this isolated incident, the NEET (UG) 2024 examination commenced smoothly and is being conducted peacefully at all other examination centres across the country. The NTA emphasizes that this incident has not compromised the integrity of the examination process at other centres."
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