Man Arrested in Kolkata for Taking Bribe to Secure NEET Merit List Spot

A person affiliated with an educational institute in Kolkata was arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly accepting money from a student's parent in exchange for a guaranteed place on the NEET merit list, police reported on Wednesday.

The accused reportedly promised the student a seat in a medical college in Kolkata. Following a complaint lodged at the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station, authorities apprehended the individual. "We are questioning him to determine whether he is part of a larger racket," said a senior police officer.

The student's father claimed in his complaint that he had paid ₹5 lakh of the ₹12 lakh demanded by the accused for securing the NEET spot. The individual has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

In related developments, a two-member Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has collected material evidence from the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar police, which had been investigating the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case before the CBI took over. Officials indicate that the CBI is likely to file FIRs related to evidence destruction and register disproportionate assets cases against some accused public servants.

Several student unions, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Tribal Students Union (TSU), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and Tribal Youth Federation (TYF), organized a large protest against corruption in the NEET examinations.

Earlier this week, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider abolishing NEET and allowing states to conduct their own entrance exams in response to the ongoing controversy surrounding the paper leak.