A six-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the irregularities in the National Eligibility Test (UGC NET), raided a house in Kushinagar on Friday night in search of a suspect.

The team detained a student, Nikhil Soni of Padrauna, Sidhua Bazaar, and questioned him for seven hours. The CBI suspects that Nikhil is associated with the gang that leaked the NET paper. The team’s investigation is going on.

Nikhil used to prepare for competitive exams by staying in Kota, Rajasthan three years ago. After this he came to Lucknow and is now preparing for competitive exams by staying there. He was at home for the last one month.

The CBI Delhi team reached Nikhil’s house in Kushinagar at around 11 pm on Friday and took him into custody. After questioning him for some time at home, the team brought him to the police station. The CBI officials questioned him from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday. The team asked Nikhil several questions related to the paper leak. He could not answer some of them.

The CBI officials refused to tell anything regarding the interrogation.

Nikhil’s father runs a shop in Sidhua Bazaar.

On June 18, after the completion of the first shift of NET exam, Nikhil wrote in a group asking if anyone had the paper. After this, someone shared the paper in the group. After editing it, he posted it on Telegram saying that the UGC NET paper has been leaked. If you want the second shift paper, send money. Immediately he received Rs 50,000 for the second shift paper.

According to sources, there is no evidence of him having the paper. Actually, the paper had already been leaked, so he cheated aspirants to extort money, sources confirmed.