Gujarat HC refuses discharge in NEET 2024 OMR manipulation case, calls for trial

Ahmedabad: Holding that prima facie evidence and grave suspicion require a full trial in the alleged NEET UG 2024 OMR sheet manipulation case, the Gujarat High Court refused to discharge the chairman of the concerned Trust in the case. 

The chairman of the Education Trust, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in June 2024. The case is linked to alleged irregularities at two schools run by the trust, which were used as examination centres for NEET-UG 2024.

According to the CBI, he and other accused persons were part of a conspiracy in which students were asked to leave their OMR answer sheets blank or only partially filled during the exam. They were allegedly promised that answers would later be filled in by the accused to secure high marks, improve their chances of obtaining MBBS seats in India or abroad.

During the hearing, the CBI’s counsel told the court that the accused and others worked together to manipulate the examination process for money. The court noted that his position as trustee and the statements recorded during investigation, when read as a whole, indicated a meeting of minds among the accused.

On the other hand, his lawyer argued that he had no direct role in appointing the city coordinator or deputy centre superintendent. The lawyer also claimed that there was no clear evidence linking him directly to the alleged conspiracy or corruption, reports TOI.

Refusing to accept this argument, the court said, "Where the materials placed before the court disclose grave suspicion against the accused which has not been properly explained, the court will be fully justified in framing a charge and proceeding with the trial."

NEET Controversy:

The NEET UG 2024 exam was mired in controversy after a paper leak scam came to light. Initially, around 13 people, including four examinees and their family members, were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of the NEET-UG exam. Patna police sources 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.

Then, 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 for giving them the question paper of the NEET UG 2024 question paper ahead of the examination.

Multiple pleas had been filed before the High Courts and the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into the alleged paper leak scam. Some of the pleas demanded the scrapping of the NEET UG 2024 exam and holding a retest.

Meanwhile, during the case proceedings, NTA decided to withdraw the grace marks awarded to 1563 candidates and hold an optional retest for those candidates. Those who did not opt for the retest were allowed to retain their original marks, without the grace marks.

The matter was investigated then by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Central Government on June 22, 2024, handed over the charge of investigating in the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 examination to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Earlier, while considering the NEET-related pleas, the Supreme Court had refused to defer the counselling/seat allotment process scheduled to commence on July 6. However, the bench had orally observed that the admissions would be subject to the final outcome of the petitions and if the exams were set aside, the counselling would get invalidated consequentially.

The Top Court had also expressed its concern over the alleged discrepancies in the NEET UG 2024 exam. The Court had noted that even '0.001& negligence' in conducting the NEET-UG 2024 exams would be looked into with all seriousness, considering the immense labor put in by the candidates for the prestigious examination.

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