Bihar deputy CM links Tejashwi Yadav to NEET paper leak
What's the story
Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Sharma, has accused his predecessor, Tejashwi Yadav, in the alleged National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak.
Sinha claimed that Sikandar Yadvendu, the alleged mastermind of the leak and a junior engineer in Patna's Danapur Municipal Council, is closely related to Pritam Kumar—Tejashwi's personal secretary.
This comes after the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police found evidence that the NEET 2024 question papers were leaked a day before the exam on May 4.
Investigation details
Sinha details accommodation bookings and arrests
Sinha detailed phone calls made by Kumar to book accommodations for Sikandar at an NHAI guest house.
"On May 1, Tejashwi Yadav's personal secretary Pritam Kumar called guesthouse worker Pradip Kumar to book a room for Sikander Kumar Yadavendu...On May 4, Pritam Kumar called Pradip Kumar again for booking the room...The word 'mantri' was used for Tejashwi Yadav," Sinha said.
On May 5, Sikandar's sister Reena was arrested from the NHAI guest house where an OMR sheet was discovered.
Inquiry and denial
Sinha orders inquiry, NHAI denies guest house claims
Sinha has now ordered an inquiry into the booking of the guest house where Reena was arrested.
Her son Anurag's name was also found in the guest house register with "Mantri Ji" written next to it.
Anurag, who has been arrested in the case, has confessed that the leaked question paper handed to him matched the actual exam question paper.
In a confession letter, Yadav admitted that he had received a leaked copy of the exam paper from Sikandar.
Investigation progress
Ongoing investigation seizes admit cards, cheques
The EOU's investigation is ongoing, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) having seized admit cards, post-dated checks, and certificates from several candidates associated with an "organized inter-state gang."
Of the 13 people arrested so far in connection with the scandal, four are candidates who took the NEET.
The remaining are their parents and members of the organized gang.
Sinha stated that he is conducting a thorough investigation to identify officers or employees working at the behest of Tejashwi.
Public outcry
Protests and petitions following NEET scandal
The allegations of irregularities in the NEET exam have sparked protests in several cities across India.
The examination was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centers nationwide with approximately 24 lakh candidates participating.
The results were announced on June 4, ten days earlier than initially expected due to early completion of answer sheet evaluation.
When the results were announced, a staggering 67 students had achieved the perfect score of 720 marks.
Another controversy
'Integrity of exam compromised...': UGC-NET cancelled
Separately, on Wednesday night, the Ministry of Education (MoE) announced the cancellation of the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET).
This decision came just a day after over 9 lakh candidates appeared for it across 317 cities.
According to reports, this came after inputs from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that "the integrity of the examination may have been compromised."