How Patna Became The Epicenter Of NEET Scam

Patna: With the Supreme Court today seeking responses from the Centre, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and others on petitions, including those seeking the scrapping of NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance test, we take a look at how Bihar's capital Patna became the epicenter of the NEET-UG 2024 scam.

The ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET exam intensified as startling confessions to the Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU) unveiled extensive irregularities in this year's examination with revelations of candidates paying a sum of over Rs 30 lakh each for leaked exam papers coming to the fore, pointing towards major lapses in the conduct and methodology of the medical entrance examination.

To this date, more than a dozen individuals have been arrested, including a junior engineer and operators of educational consultancies, in connection with the paper leak.

What Did the Investigation Reveal?

Earlier this month, the Bihar EOU issued notices to nine candidates from various districts across the state, summoning them to the Patna office for questioning in connection with their alleged involvement in the paper leak.  

The EOU found out that the roll numbers of 13 candidates (with four of them already in police custody) were linked to the so-called ‘solver gang’. The unit subsequently sought more information from the NTA, including reference question papers and admit cards, which eventually led to the identification of additional suspects.

During a recent interrogation, 56-year-old junior engineer Sikandar Kumar Yadavendu admitted of his involvement and detailed how he, along with two others – Amit Anand and Nitish –  had facilitated the paper leaks. Both Amit and Nitish confessed to charging an amount between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 32 lakh per candidate for the leaked papers.

Last week, the Bihar Police EOU recovered six post-dated cheques which were suspected to have been issued in favour of mafia demanding over Rs 30 lakh from each candidate seeking alleged leaked question paper ahead of the NEET examination held last month.

"During the course of investigation, the EOU officials recovered six post-dated cheques that were issued in the favour of the accused who reportedly facilitated question papers to the aspirants ahead of the examination," Manavjit Singh Dhillon, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) at the EOU told news agency PTI.

Notable, over a dozen accused arrested in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case belong to Bihar, the DIG further stated.

Republic Media Network had earlier reported that the nine aspirants, along with other examinees from Bihar who have already been arrested by the EOU, had allegedly received the exam's question paper and answers at a location near Patna just a day before the exam was conducted.

The Modus Operandi

The investigation further revealed how the ‘solver gang’ breached the chain of custody from printing firms to exam centers by compromising staff members. The gang assembled students in safe houses where they memorised answers before being taken to respective exam centers to prevent information leakage.

Candidates from different places in Bihar were brought to a rented accommodation at Ramkrishna Nagar in Patna, where they were provided with the question papers and answers. Police conducted a search at the rented premise and recovered mobile phones, admit cards and other incriminating documents, PTI reported, citing sources.

Corroborating with the accused facilitators' confessions, some of the aspirants too, have disclosed that their parents had paid more than Rs 30 lakh for every candidate to those who facilitated questions papers ahead of the exam.

“The evidence of the transaction has also been found and six post-dated cheques have also been recovered during the course of investigation. The EOU sleuths also recovered partially burnt question papers from the safe house”, PTI quoted the DIG as saying.

"We have sought reference question papers from the NTA. It has not responded to this so far. Once we get reference question papers from the NTA, we will send the burnt question paper to the appropriate forensic laboratory for its examination," he had reportedly said at the time.

Sources in the EOU further told the news agency that investigation has so far revealed that the question papers of NEET-UG and their answers were provided to around 35 aspirants before the May 5 exam.

Bihar Deputy CM Links Tejashwi Yadav to NEET Paper Leak Row

Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has claimed that the arrested prime accused in the NEET "paper leak" is linked to officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and demanded an investigation into it.

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

"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," the deputy chief minister reportedly said.

Sinha said he has the mobile number from which those messages were sent.

"It needs to be thoroughly probed. Why is the RJD leader (Tejashwi Prasad) maintaining a stoic silence on this?" Sinha quipped, while asserting that there are reports suggesting that the accused was also associated with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad.

"The entire sequence of events reveals how RJD leaders indulge in corrupt practices. There are reports suggesting that the accused was associated with Lalu Prasad during his judicial custody in Ranchi," news agency PTI quoted the Deputy CM as saying.

Meanwhile, cross-examination of two more suspects has revealed material evidence in connection with the case.

What is The NEET-UG 2024 Controversy About?

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024 was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) at 4,750 centres in 571 cities for more than 24 lakh candidates.

The result of the NEET-UG 2024 was declared on June 4. However, immediately after the results were announced, students raised allegations of irregularities when 67 students achieved top scores, amidst claims of question paper leaks in Bihar.

A group of candidates has approached the Supreme Court demanding a fresh exam due to alleged paper leaks and concerns about the test's integrity.

The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.