“Speculative, Misinformed And False”: CBI On Some Media Reports On NEET Paper Leak Case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismissed some of the recent media reports regarding the NEET UG 2024 paper leak case as “speculative, misinformed and false.” The agency, which took over the case after allegations of paper leak emerged in relation with the national level medical entrance exam. emphasised the importance of relying only on official information provided through its Chief Information Officer to prevent the spread of misinformation.
A statement from the premier investigation agency said it began investigating the case on June 23, 2024, following the registration of Case No. 358/2024 at Shastrinagar Police Station, Patna. The investigation revealed that the NEET (UG) 2024 question paper was illicitly accessed from Oasis School, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on May 5, 2024. The key conspirator, Pankaj Kumar, along with the school’s principal, vice principal, and an associate, have been arrested.
“Investigation has revealed that NEET (UG) – 2024 Question Paper was illicitly accessed from the Oasis School, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on 05.05.2024, in the morning by one Pankaj Kumar @ Aditya @ Sahil, who is one of the masterminds of the NEET Paper leak case in connivance with the Hazaribagh NTA City Coordinator Cum Principal of Oasis School and the Centre Superintendent of Oasis School Cum Vice Principal of the Oasis School and another associate from Hazaribagh,” the CBI statement said.
The agency said the recovered pieces of half burnt question papers enabled it to reach the designated NEET examination centre from where it leaked. The trunks containing the NEET UG 2024 question papers were brought to the school and kept in the control room in the morning of May 5, the day of the entrance examination. “Minutes after the trunks arrived, the above said Principal and Vice Principal unauthorisedly and illegally allowed access to the room where the trunks were kept, to the mastermind named above. The sophisticated tools used to open the trunk and access the question papers from the trunk have been seized,” CBI said.
After gaining unauthorised access to the NEET question paper, the agency said the same was got solved at Hazaribagh through a set of solvers on the morning of May 5 and the solved paper was shared with certain selected students who paid money to the accused.
All the solvers, according to CBI, who are MBBS students from reputed colleges, have been identified and most of them arrested. “These solvers were specially brought to Hazaribagh as part of the conspiracy. The accused Pankaj perpetrated this crime along with few other masterminds who have been identified and many of them arrested. This group was actively assisted by a set of accused persons who arranged places for housing the candidates, another set of accused were involved in mobilising and ferrying the candidates. The candidates who gained access to the solved question paper are being traced and necessary action is being taken,” CBI said.
The investigation led to searches at 33 locations, resulting in 36 arrests, including 15 by Bihar Police. The CBI has gathered significant incriminating evidence and continues to investigate the case daily.
The CBI has urged the public to disregard speculative media reports and rely solely on official updates to maintain the integrity of the investigation and prevent the spread of misinformation.
