New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday detained two individuals from Patna, Bihar, for their alleged involvement in the NEET-UG examination irregularities.
A CBI senior official confirmed the arrest of the duo, identified as Manish Prakash and Ashutosh, who were operating from Patna. According to the official, Ashutosh was responsible for arranging a safe house for the students, while Manish would escort the examinees to a school for ‘preparation’ purposes.
“Manish Prakash would transport the students in his vehicle, and they were housed at Ashutosh’s residence,” noted the CBI officer.
These are the first arrests made by the CBI in the context of the NEET examination paper leak. The CBI is currently probing six cases concerning the NEET examination paper leak, with one case each in Bihar, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, and three cases in Rajasthan.
Intensifying investigation the CBI on Wednesday visited Oasis school in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, and questioned staff members, including the principal. After the interrogation, which took place at the CCL guest house in Charhi, a town in Hazaribagh district, two individuals were released.
Meanwhile, in Patna, the Special CBI Court has granted the CBI’s request to remand two accused individuals in the NEET question paper leak case. Baldev Kumar, also known as Chintu and Mukesh Kumar have been placed in CBI custody for further investigation. Currently, a total of 18 accused are in custody for questioning related to this case.
The Supreme Court on Thursday requested a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA) regarding a petition alleging “inconsistent” mark calculations on the OMR sheets used in the NEET-UG 2024 exam.
Justices Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti, constituting a vacation bench, issued a notice and called for the NTA’s response by July 8, the scheduled date for the next hearing. Previously, the apex court declined to halt the counselling process for NEET-UG 2024.
The NTA, responsible for conducting the NEET-UG examination, has come under fire for purported discrepancies. This has led to nationwide protests, with demonstrators and political parties calling for the dissolution of the NTA.
The NEET-UG exam, overseen by the NTA, serves as the gateway for entry into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses at both government and private institutions throughout the country.
