NEET Scam Row: Gujarat Police Arrests 5 For Accepting Bribe to Choose Exam Center

Vadodara: Amid the nationwide outrage over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, Gujarat Police arrested 5 individuals from Godhra in connection with a significant cheating scandal involving the medical entrance exam. The arrests come following revelations that a bribe of Rs 10 lakh was allegedly paid to secure a specific exam center.

Authorities recovered numerous cheques from the accused, marked with parents' phone numbers, indicating extensive financial transactions amounting to Rs 2.30 crore. The investigation continues to unfold as law enforcement officials intensify efforts to address the illicit manipulation of the NEET exam process.

All the accused have been sent to judicial custody. The regular bail application of the main accused Tushar Bhatt has been cancelled by the Godhra Sessions Court. Statements of students and parents are also being taken by the police.

Parasuram Roy, the owner of Roy Overseas, was found to have been given cheques and money by parents for medical admission.

Investigation revealed that financial transactions through checks of Rs 2.30 crore were made with Parashuram Roy. The police have seized the mobiles and other electronic devices of the accused and sent them to FSL.

It is believed that the list of students which was found was a conspiracy to get all the students to pass the NEET exam by taking money, said police.

The arrests happened on the day when the National Testing Agency (NTA) told the Supreme Court that score-cards of 1563 candidates who got "grace marks" in the 2024 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) exam will be cancelled and candidates will have a chance to reappear for the exam.

"The Committee has decided to cancel the score-cards of 1563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates who were given grace marks and these students will be given the option to take a re-test," NTA said.

"Exam will be conducted on June 23 and result will be declared before June 30," it added.

"Counselling will go on and we will not stop it. If the exam goes then everything goes in totality so nothing to fear," said the Supreme Court.

In the wake of the alleged NEET exam paper leak, students on Thursday voiced their concerns and demanded a re-examination for all aspirants and a thorough investigation.

A group of students protested at the Jantar Manter  with the slogan "24 lakh students want exam, not scam" and a fair investigation into the paper leak matter.

Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra has Pradhan rejected the allegations of paper leak in NEET-UG, saying there was no evidence of it.

The results of the NEET-UG exam were announced by the National Testing Agency on June 4.