CBI Arrives in Patna to Probe NEET-UG 2024 Exam Irregularities; Burnt Question Paper Confirms Leak

The investigation comes in the wake of the EOU's recent arrest of five suspects from Deoghar, Jharkhand, raising the total number of apprehended individuals to 18.

A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reached the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police in Patna this morning to take over the investigation into alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam. This follows a Bihar government notification issued on Sunday evening that transferred the case to the CBI.

The investigation comes in the wake of the EOU's recent arrest of five suspects from Deoghar, Jharkhand, raising the total number of apprehended individuals to 18. The CBI's involvement was prompted by an FIR filed on a reference from the Union Education Ministry amid widespread protests and legal actions by students demanding a thorough probe into the allegations.

The Bihar Home Department's notification outlined that the case, originally registered on June 5 at Shastrinagar Police Station in Patna under sections 407, 408, 409, and 120B of the IPC, involves irregularities in the NEET-UG exam held on May 5. The CBI is expected to take over all updated case records from the EOU shortly.

Key Developments in the NEET UG Investigation

The EOU revealed that the five individuals arrested were Baldev Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Panku Kumar, Rajeev Kumar, and Paramjeet Singh, all from Nalanda. Baldev Kumar, linked to the Sanjeev Kumar alias Lutan Mukhiya gang, reportedly received the solved NEET-UG answer sheet in PDF format on his mobile phone a day before the exam.

Further investigations indicated that Baldev and his associates distributed the leaked answer sheets to students at a safe house in Ram Krishna Nagar, Patna, on May 4. The students were brought there by two previously arrested individuals, Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand. The leaked question paper originated from a private school in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, facilitated by the Mukhiya gang.

Investigators matched a partially burnt question paper recovered from the Patna safe house with the National Testing Agency (NTA) reference paper, confirming the leak. The EOU's probe also revealed negligence in the standard procedures for handling and transporting question papers by those involved.

A manhunt is ongoing for Mukhiya and other gang members. The EOU identified 15 aspirants involved, with four already questioned. The remaining candidates are under scrutiny.

CBI's Role and Further Steps

The CBI is gathering evidence collected by the EOU, including burnt question paper pieces, mobile phones, SIM cards, laptops, post-dated cheques, and NTA reference papers. All arrested individuals are in judicial custody in Patna, with the CBI potentially taking them to Delhi for detailed interrogation pending transit remand.

The CBI may file multiple FIRs related to evidence destruction and disproportionate assets (DA) cases against public servants involved. A notable suspect, Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, a junior engineer in Danapur Town Council, may face a DA case due to his significant assets disproportionate to his income. Yadvendu, from Samastipur, has a criminal history, including involvement in a Rs 3 crore LED scam and a previous jail sentence.

The NEET-UG exam on May 5 involved around 24 lakh candidates, with results announced on June 4 amid growing calls for the exam's cancellation due to malpractice allegations. The Union Education Ministry maintains that the irregularities were localized and should not impact the careers of the majority who cleared the exam legitimately.

The CBI's thorough investigation aims to uncover the full extent of the irregularities and ensure justice for all candidates involved.