In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG-2024) examination, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its probe, casting a spotlight on a school principal and other key suspects. Here are key updates:
Principal Under Scrutiny
A special CBI team questioned Dr. Ehsanul Haque, the principal of Oasis School in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, who served as the district coordinator for NEET UG-2024. Dr. Haque and several staff members were interrogated at the CCL guest house in Charhi. He has strongly denied any involvement in tampering with the exam papers, labelling the allegations against him as “baseless.”
Banking Irregularities
The investigation took a new turn with an eight-member CBI team visiting the main branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Hazaribagh. The bank manager, reportedly the custodian of the NEET UG-2024 question papers, is now under scrutiny. The question papers were delivered to the bank by a courier service using an e-rickshaw, raising questions about the security of the exam materials.
Remand of Key Accused
In a parallel development, a special CBI court in Patna has remanded two accused, Chintu Kumar and Mukesh Kumar, to CBI custody for three days. Chintu Kumar, linked to the notorious Sanjeev Kumar alias Lutan Mukhiya gang, allegedly received a solved answer sheet in PDF format a day before the exam. Mukesh Kumar is also believed to be associated with the gang.
Modus Operandi Unveiled
Preliminary investigations suggest that Chintu Kumar and his associates distributed the solved answer sheets to students at a safe house in Ram Krishna Nagar, Patna, on May 4. These students were reportedly coached to memorize the answers. The leaked question papers were allegedly obtained from a private school in Hazaribagh by the Mukhiya gang.
Ongoing Manhunt
The CBI is actively pursuing other absconding members of the Mukhiya gang, who were accused of orchestrating multiple interstate paper leaks. A Delhi-based CBI team recently visited a guest house in Patna and the housing society of Sikandar Yadavendu, a prime suspect. The guest house booking was reportedly facilitated by an individual linked to a prominent Bihar politician.
Institutional Involvement
The investigation has widened to include several private colleges and institutes accused of sending proxy test-takers on behalf of genuine NEET candidates. Schools under scrutiny include Oasis School, St. Xavier’s School, DAV Public School, Holy Cross School, and Vivekananda Central School.
Previous Arrests and Wider Implications
A Kolkata-based educational institute staff member was arrested for allegedly accepting bribes to secure a student’s place on the NEET merit list. The Economic Offence Wing (EOU) of the Bihar Police had previously arrested 18 individuals concerning the NEET paper leak case.
Political and Legislative Reactions
The scandal has prompted political and legislative reactions. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting of party MLAs and MLCs, urging them to address NEET irregularities during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature. Concurrently, the Kerala Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the irregularities in NEET and NET exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
