NEET paper leak prime accused arrested

Patna: In a major development on the ongoing NEET paper leak, the prime accused Sanjeev Mukhiya has been arrested by Economic Offences Unit team, Patna.

The EOU team arrested Mukhiya on Thursday night, Naiyar Hussain Khan, Additional Director General, Bihar Economic Offences Unit informed ANI.

On April 9, Bihar Police declared a reward of Rs 3 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Sanjeev Mukhia, a key accused in the NEET paper leak case.

Earlier in October last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed the chargesheet in the NEET paper theft case in Patna, before the Special Judge Court for CBI, Patna.

The investigation revealed that the NEET UG 2024 question paper was stolen from the control room of OASIS School in Hazaribagh on May 5. The theft occurred after the trunks containing the question papers arrived from the bank vault.

Also Read:NEET 2024 paper leak: Patna HC grants bail to accused

According to the CBI, the accused, Pankaj Kumar, was allowed entry into the control room by the school’s Principal, Ahsanul Haque, and Vice Principal, Imtiyaz Alam.

“The accused Pankaj Kumar was clandestinely allowed entry into the control room by Ahsanul Haque, the Principal, and Imtiyaz Alam, the Vice Principal of the school, as part of the conspiracy. Pankaj Kumar tampered with the hinges of the trunk containing the question papers, removed one question paper, photographed all its pages, replaced the paper and resealed the trunk, and exited the control room,” the CBI stated.

Following this, the solved question papers were then distributed to the candidates present at the Raj Guest House, Hazaribagh. Further, the solved question paper was scanned and sent digitally to predetermined locations where the members of the accused gang received it.

Only those who paid in advance could enter these locations. After their exams, the candidates were prohibited from taking any printed copies with them. The CBI found half-burnt pieces of the question paper at Learn Play School, Patna, which led them to OASIS School, the CBI added in the release.

Also Read:NEET 2024 paper leak case update: EOU conducts raid at mastermind's residence

Medical Dialogues earlier reported that After the Centre assured of implementing exam reforms suggested by the expert panel, the Supreme Court closed a matter over the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in holding last year's NEET UG 2024.

A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi took note of the Centre's compliance reports on the issue and the submissions of its solicitor general Tushar Mehta as it disposed of the plea.

Mehta said the Centre had accepted all the suggestions of the seven-member panel, except one--NTA conducting online NEET exams--for the time being.

"Over 26 lakh students take up NEET across India and the government will have to ascertain availability of internet and computers... this will take some time," he said, "but the report (of the expert panel) has been accepted".