The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over five cases pertaining to alleged malpractices in NEET-UG in Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
These cases involve allegations of malpractice, signalling a significant development in the investigation into the conduct of the national medical entrance exam.
In a related development, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a Zilla Parishad school teacher from Latur in Maharashtra and registered a case against four persons after it emerged that a racket was being operated to help NEET students willing to pay money to crack the exam.
The four persons against whom a case was registered by the Nanded ATS unit include two teachers from Latur, a man from Nanded, and a resident of Delhi.
Barring the case from Bihar, the other four appear to be isolated incidents of impersonation and cheating by local officials, invigilators and candidates, the officials said. The CBI has already registered its own FIR in connection with the case on a reference from the Union education ministry to conduct a comprehensive probe, they said. After taking over these new cases, the CBI is now probing a total of six cases pertaining to alleged irregularities in NEET-UG, the officials said.
Amid protests and political slugfest, RJD MP Manoj Jha claimed on Monday that the "NEET corruption" is linked with elections and alleged proximity between those named for paper leaks and leaders of the JD(U) and BJP while more than two dozen students, some of them NSUI members, were detained while protesting against irregularities in NEET-UG and cancellation of UGC-NET exams at Jantar Mantar.
According to officials, the CBI has re-registered one case each from Gujarat and Bihar and three cases from Rajasthan as its own FIR.
The CBI is also likely to file multiple FIRs in connection with the matter to probe the destruction of evidence, and also register disproportionate assets (DA) cases against some of those accused who are public servants.
The recent NEET-UG paper leak scam tentacles have reached Maharashtra, with the arrest of two coaching institute teachers and an ITI instructor from Latur after the state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Latur Police investigations in the past two days, officials said here on Monday. Another person wanted in the case is absconding.
Amid a row over alleged irregularities in competitive exams, opposition MPs said on the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha that the government will have to answer on the controversy in Parliament.
Addressing a press conference here, RJD MP Manoj Jha claimed on Monday that the "NEET corruption" is linked with elections and alleged proximity between those named for paper leaks and leaders of the JD(U) and BJP. He expressed solidarity with the protesting students and accused Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of playing with their future.
Jha also alleged that the culprits of paper leaks are being protected."A horror story is being made out about a guesthouse, of which there is no evidence. There is one Sanjiv Mukhiya, who was also the mastermind of the BPSC exam rigging.... Who is Sanjiv Mukhiya? You do not need rocket science to know. His wife is a leader of the Janata Dal (United). Why is there an attempt to protect them?" he asked.
Jha also named one Amit Anand, showed some photographs of a school owner from Haryana with the state chief minister and alleged that the school was involved in the fraud.
At Jantar Mantar, more than two dozen students, some of them NSUI members, were detained while protesting against irregularities in NEET-UG and cancellation of UGC-NET exams here. The Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India had planned a march to the Parliament on the day of the commencement of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha. The students, holding placards and NSUI flags, gathered in large numbers at Jantar Mantar for their 'Chhatra Sansad Gherav'. Ahead of the protest, police barricaded the area to prevent students from taking out their march. Heavy deployment of Delhi police including paramilitary forces was made at the site.
