NEET-UG 2024 leaks: CBI arrests engineer and his accomplice who stole the question paper

In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken into custody the individuals responsible for stealing the NEET-UG examination papers in Hazaribagh, Bihar.

Sources revealed that Pankaj Kumar, who stole the paper, was caught in Patna, while his associate Raju Singh was arrested in Jamshedpur.

According to sources, Pankaj Kumar, also known as Aaditya, completed his civil engineering degree from NIT Jamshedpur in 2017. His partner in crime, Raju Singh, allegedly played a pivotal role in distributing the leaked papers.

The CBI's investigation pinpointed Hazaribagh as the epicentre of the NEET-UG paper leak. The leak was traced back to Oasis School in Hazaribagh, where it was discovered that the seals on two sets of papers had been tampered with. Shockingly, despite the irregularity, the school staff remained silent instead of reporting the breach.

A senior official disclosed, "Nine sets of question papers were dispatched from SBI Hazaribagh to various centers. The papers that ended up at the Oasis school centre had their seals compromised. The staff's silence on this matter clearly indicates their involvement."

Furthermore, the CBI searched Learn and Play School in Patna, where charred papers were recovered based on technical evidence. Subsequently, the case was handed over to the Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU).

The NEET-UG examination, administered by the National Testing Agency for admission to medical courses, witnessed over 23 lakh candidates appearing at 4,750 centers across 571 cities, including 14 international locations. The exam, conducted on May 5, faced scrutiny due to cheating allegations and impersonation issues.

Notably, the CBI has registered numerous FIRs and arrested nearly 60 individuals in connection with the irregularities surrounding the medical entrance exam. The probe has cracked instances of paper leaks as well as cases of impersonation and cheating in multiple states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.