In a latest development in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested one of the "masterminds", an NIT-Jamshedpur graduate and two MBBS students who allegedly solved the paper for money.
Officials said that the B.Tech (Electrical) graduate -- Shashi Kumar Paswan -- from the National Institute of Technology is an "all-rounder, mastermind" in the paper leak case. With this, the total number of people arrested by the federal agency in connection to the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG examination now stands at 21.
The two MBBS students, identified as Kumar Mangalam Bishnoi (2nd year) and Deepender Sharma (1st year), are from a medical college in Rajasthan's Bharatpur. The duo solved the papers stolen by an engineer -- Pankaj Kumar -- from an NTA trunk in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh.
Reportedly, the two "solvers" were present in Hazaribagh on May 5, the day the National Testing Agency conducted the NEET UG 2024 exam across the nation.
Bishnoi and Sharma were a part of the solver module in which the agency has already arrested five MBSS students, news agency PTI reported citing sources. The solved answers were then given to those medical aspirants who had signed up for the gang's assistance, they added.
Paswan working with Pankaj Kumar and Rocky, another mastermind who had already been arrested by the CBI.
The central agency, which took over the paper leak case investigation from the Bihar Police, had nabbed Pankaj Kumar as well. One Raju Singh, who helped Kumar in stealing the papers, was also arrested.
On Thursday, the central probe agency also nabbed one Surender Sharma, who had helped Kumar steal the exam papers in Hazaribagh.
So far, the CBI has registered six FIRs in connection with the irregularities and the paper leak allegation in the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024.
The FIR from Bihar is in connection with the paper leak while those from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are regarding impersonation of candidates and cheating.
The agency's own First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on the basis of a complaint from the Union Ministry of Education, which pertains to a "comprehensive investigation" into the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 exam.
Meanwhile, NTA on Saturday also released the NEET UG 2024 results with dummy roll numbers, sequence wise as per the exam centres on the basis of the Supreme Court's directive.
The apex court on Thursday had said that if the re-examination is to be ordered, then it needs to be on "concrete footing". Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that the it has to be proved that the paper leak was so "systemic" and affected the medical test in such a manner that it warrants the cancellation of the entire examination.
NTA conducted the NEET-UG 2024 was conducted on May 5, 2024 at 4,750 centres across 571 cities, including 14 abroad. More than 23 lakh medical aspirants had appeared for the national level entrance test.
The NEET UG is conducted by NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in the government and private institutions.
