NEET-UG Paper Leak Case: CBI Arrests Father-Son Duo in Fresh Crackdown

In a significant development in the ongoing probe into the NEET-UG paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two individuals, including a father-son duo, in connection with the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam. Sunny Kumar, a NEET-UG candidate, was arrested from Nalanda, while Ranjit Kumar, his father, was taken into custody from Gaya. This brings the total number of arrests made by the agency to 11, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The CBI has been investigating the case since the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2024 paper, which was held on May 5. The agency has so far arrested eight individuals in Bihar, one each in Gujarat’s Latur and Godhra, and one from Dehradun in connection with a general conspiracy. The arrests include the principal and vice principal of Oasis school in Hazaribagh, who allegedly provided safe premises to NEET candidates where burnt question papers were recovered by the Bihar Police.

The CBI has registered six FIRs in connection with the case, with four of them linked to the leakage of the paper in Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The remaining two FIRs pertain to impersonation of candidates and cheating. The agency’s own FIR was registered on a reference from the Union Education Ministry, which pertains to a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities in the examination.

The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the case, has asked the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Centre to file their affidavits with all the details and sought a status report from the CBI on July 10. The court has also asked the NTA to apprise it about the steps taken to identify the candidates who benefited from the paper leak. The case will be heard next on July 11.

The CBI’s fresh arrests come as the Supreme Court is set to hear 38 pleas related to alleged exam malpractices in the NEET UG 2024 exam on Tuesday. The court’s intervention has been sought to ensure that the examination is conducted fairly and that the rights of students are protected. The NEET-UG paper leak case has sparked widespread outrage and concern among students and parents, who are demanding a thorough investigation and action against those responsible.