The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has detained three doctors from AIIMS Patna in connection with the alleged paper leak and irregularities surrounding the national medical entrance examination ahead of the NEET-UG hearing scheduled today in the Supreme Court.
The detained doctors, who belong to the 2021 batch, have been apprehended for questioning regarding their involvement in the NEET-UG paper leak scandal. The federal agency has sealed their rooms and confiscated their laptops and mobile phones as part of the investigation.
This action follows the recent arrests of two individuals, Pankaj Kumar and Raju Singh, from Patna and Hazaribagh, respectively, by the CBI for their alleged roles in stealing the NEET-UG question papers. Pankaj Kumar, described as part of the paper leak syndicate, reportedly collaborated with Raju Singh to procure and distribute the compromised question papers.
A special court in Patna has remanded Pankaj Kumar to 14-day CBI custody, while Raju Singh has been sent to 10-day custody in connection with the ongoing investigation. The CBI has already arrested nine individuals, including Rocky alias Rakesh Ranjan, believed to be the mastermind behind the paper leak, from various locations in Bihar.
NEET-UG hearing today
Today, the Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of petitions related to the controversy-marred NEET-UG 2024 examination. During the previous hearing on July 11, the apex court had adjourned proceedings to today, awaiting responses from the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) on several pleas, including demands for exam cancellation, re-test, and thorough investigation into alleged malpractices.
Earlier, on July 8, the Supreme Court had expressed concern over the integrity of NEET-UG 2024, acknowledging breaches in its sanctity. The court had hinted at the possibility of ordering a re-test if substantial irregularities were proven, seeking detailed reports from the NTA and CBI regarding the alleged paper leak timeline and culprits involved.
In response, both the Centre and the NTA have submitted additional affidavits to the Supreme Court. The Centre’s affidavit cited data analytics by IIT-Madras, indicating no widespread malpractice or localized advantage affecting the exam’s outcome. It also affirmed that counselling for undergraduate seats for the academic year 2024-25 would commence in four rounds from the third week of July.
Similarly, the NTA’s affidavit echoed findings of mark distribution analysis across national, state, and city levels, asserting that anomalies in higher scores were not indicative of systemic failure. The affidavit highlighted the reduction in syllabus coverage, which potentially contributed to improved performance among NEET-UG aspirants.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is slated to hear over 40 petitions related to the NEET-UG controversy today.
