Patna: As Bihar turns out to be the epicenter of the sensational NEET paper 'leak' case, a CBI team Monday reached the Patna zone of the State's Economic Offences Unit(EOU) in connection with the investigation into the case, the tentacles of which appear to be spread to at least six states, sources said.
The Ministry of Education on Sunday announced to hand over the NEET paper leak case to the CBI amid an uproar over the alleged paper leak which has left the PM Modi led NDA government red-faced at the beginning of the PM's third term. The CBI on Sunday filed a fresh FIR against unidentified persons under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating), among others. According to sources, a two-member team of the CBI reached the EOU office in Patna in connection with the case and officially took over the case documents from the Patna EOU. The Patna EOU has arrested at least 18 people in the case who are likely to be taken by the visiting CBI team with them to Delhi.
On Sunday, the federal agency filed an FIR over alleged irregularities in the nation-wide medical entrance exam NEET-UG, which was held on May 5, on a reference from the Education Ministry, amid countrywide protests and litigations by students for a probe into the allegations of paper leak.
The CBI team visited the EOU office and collect all evidence, including the pieces of the burnt question paper that was recovered from a house in Patna, mobile phones of those arrested, SIM cards, laptops, post-dated cheques and reference questions papers provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA), PTI quoted an EOU official as saying.
"All those arrested are in judicial custody in Patna, and the CBI team may take them to Delhi for detailed interrogation by obtaining transit remand from a court here," the official added.
NEET Paper Leak Tentacles Spread to More States
Sources said that besides Bihar, the probe agencies have made arrests in other states with the CBI on Monday sending a special team to Gujarat in connection with the probe into the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024 ranging from paper leaks to grace marks to over 1500 aspirants.
GUJARAT: Along with Patna, a special team of CBI was also sent to Gujarat's Godhra, where the local police have registered cases, sources said. A case was registered by the Godhra police on May 8 under various Indian Penal Code sections, including criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust, for allegedly trying to help 27 candidates clear the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) for a sum of Rs 10 lakh each. Gujarat Police have so far arrested five persons in the case.
MAHARASHTRA: Four persons, including two teachers, were arrested in connection with the alleged NEET paper leak in Maharashtra's Latur district.
It is learnt that that state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Nanded detained the suspects Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Umar Khan Pathan, working as teachers of two schools, on Saturday night on suspicion of their involvement in the case. While the duo was issued a notice and released on Sunday morning, on Sunday evening, both were arrested along with two others, Iranna Mashnaji Kongalwar and a man named Gangadhar from Delhi as per sources.
A case stands registered against the four at Shivajinagar police station in Latur on Sunday night where an FIR has been lodged under sections 3(v), 4 and 10 of The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024 along with sections 420, 120 (b) of the IPC.
JHARKHAND: Sources said that six accused have been arrested from Jharkhand's Deoghar on June 21, in connection with UG NEET paper 'leak' case.
It is learnt that the CBI is likely to file multiple FIRs in connection with the paper-leak case. The subjects will include but not limited to probing the destruction of evidence. The probe agency may also register a Disproportionate Assets (DA) cases against some of those suspects who are public servants.
"A DA case may be registered against alleged arrested mastermind Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, a junior engineer in Danapur Town Council, as he reportedly acquired huge assets that are disproportionate to his known source of income," the official said. Yadvendu, who hails from Samastipur, has been identified as the prime suspect in the case, he added.
According to Bihar Police, Yadvendu has "a history" of involvement in criminal activities. He joined the government service as a junior engineer in 2012. Prior to that, he was working as a contractor in Ranchi. He was accused in an LED scam worth Rs 3 crore. "He has served a jail sentence for his role in that case," the official said.
So far, Patna Police has arrested 19 people in this case including four candidates and nine exam mafia members and parents of candidates.
After the revelation of paper leak and grace marks to over 1500 aspirants, the first report in this case was registered on May 5 at Shastri Nagar police station in Patna. On May 15, the government handed over the case to the EOU. On Sunday, the union Ministry of Education handed over the case to the CBI.
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