NEET 'Paper Leak' Row: Bihar Deputy CM Claims Arrested Suspect Linked To RJD's Tejashwai Yadav

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Thursday claimed that the main suspect arrested in the NEET "paper leak" row has ties to officials connected with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Sinha has called for a thorough investigation into these alleged connections, raising concerns over the integrity of the examination process.

Addressing a press conference in Patna, Sinha claimed that the official was in constant touch with Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, the arrested prime accused in the case.

Sinha reportedly said, “The official associated with Yadav used to arrange accommodation for Sikandar at guest houses in Patna and other places. I have details of messages which the official had sent to the persons concerned for arranging accommodation for Sikandar."

He even declared that he has evidence to back his claim that includes the mobile number from which those messages were sent.

Sinha urging for a thorough investigation, said, "It needs to be thoroughly probed. Why is the RJD leader (Tejashwi Prasad) maintaining a stoic silence on this?"

There are reports suggesting that the accused was also associated with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, when he was in judicial custody in Ranchi, the deputy chief minister said.

The Economic Offences Wing of Bihar Police had last month arrested 13 people as part of its investigation into the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG 2024. The arrested accused included examinees, their parents and alleged mastermind Sikander Prasad Yadvendu.

Anurag Yadav, the NEET candidate was arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities in the exam's result and has also confessed that the leaked question paper that was given to him matched with the actual question paper.

According to an India Today report, the 22-year-old medical aspirant wrote in his confession letter than his relative -- identified as one Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu -- told him that all arrangements has been done for the exam.

Other than Yadav, the three other students are -- Sikandar Yadavendu, Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand. Yadavendu, reportedly working as a junior engineer at the Danapur municipal corporation, confessed to his involvement in leaking the exam papers.