NEET paper leak case: CBI arrests MBBS student of Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Medical College

Patna: In the latest update on the NEET paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its ongoing investigation recently arrested a first-year MBBS student of Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Medical College in Bhilwara, Rajasthan in connection.

According to the agency, the accused student, Sandeep Kumar, admitted to his alleged involvement in solving the question paper of NEET-UG after being summoned to Patna by the CBI for interrogation on Saturday.

He was accused of being part of a “solver gang” who, along with other medical students, had solved the NEET-UG question paper at Hazaribagh in Jharkhand before the May 5 exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Also read- NEET paper leak case: CBI files first chargesheet against 13 accused

Following his confession, the agency arrested him from Bhilwara. Subsequently, he was brought before Special Judicial Magistrate Kumari Rinku at a special court in Patna Civil Court. The CBI sought a 7-day remand for Sandeep, however, the court approved a 5-day remand, TOI report.

This is the eighth arrest of a medical student related to the case so far.

The Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the arrest of 7 medical students in connection with this case. These accused students include four from AIIMS-Patna, one from Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi and two from Bharatpur Medical College in Rajasthan.

They were arrested for being part of a solver gang that allegedly solved the question paper of NEET-UG stolen by Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya, a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur from the NTA trunk in Hazaribagh.

The CBI also arrested one Raju Singh who allegedly helped Kumar stealing the paper and passing them on to other gang members. Singh was arrested from Hazaribagh.

The First Chargesheet filed by CBI

The CBI had filed its first chargesheet naming 13 accused in the matter a few days ago. The charge sheet lists that the accused were allegedly involved in the paper leak and other irregularities.

The central probe agency, which is investigating the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, has lodged six FIRs.

The FIR from Bihar pertains to paper leaks while the remaining ones from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are regarding impersonation of candidates and cheating.

The agency’s own FIR on a reference from the Union education ministry pertains to a “comprehensive investigation” into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024.

Earlier, the CBI officials had said that CBI has come across reports in a section of the media about the CBI investigation of the NEET 2024 Examination case which have been speculative, misinformed and false. It is advised that the publication of such reports may be completely avoided as that creates an unfounded web of misinformation/opinions. This is not only harmful to the esteemed readers/audience in particular but also to society in general.

NEET Controversy

This year's NEET UG 2024 exam was mired in controversies after a paper leak scam came to light. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that 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 had previously 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 have 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 earlier 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 is now being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Central Government on June 22, 2024, handed over the charge of investigating the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 examination to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Also read- CBI arrests 4 AIIMS Patna medicos in NEET paper leak case