The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the investigation of five additional cases pertaining to the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam. These cases were being probed by police in Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat, news agency PTI reported on Monday citing officials.
CBI is also expected to take over another case from Maharashtra's Latur.
The officials said that the central agency had re-registered one case each from Bihar and Gujarat, while it registered three cases from Rajasthan as its own FIR, PTI reported.
"Barring the case from Bihar, the other four appear to be isolated incidents of impersonation and cheating by local officials, invigilators and candidates," the officials said.
CBI Now Investigating 6 NEET-UG Cases
The CBI has already registered its own FIR in connection with the case on a reference from the Union education ministry to conduct a comprehensive probe, they said.
After taking over these cases, the CBI is now investigating a total of six cases related to alleged irregularities in NEET-UG, PTI reported citing officials.
CBI registered the first FIR into the matter on Sunday, after the Education ministry handed over the probe into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET exam to the central investigation agency. This demand was raised by a section of students who staged protests in several cities.
"The ministry of education has requested the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust and destruction of evidence by candidates, institutes and middlemen," PTI quoted a CBI spokesperson as saying.
The officials also stated that role of public servants, if any, in connection with the conduct of the exam, and to the entire string of events including the larger conspiracy, will also be investigated.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the NEET-UG on May 5 for admissions to medical programs such as MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other such related courses. Clearing this exam enables students to take admission into government and private institutions across India.
The examination was conducted at 4,750 centres across 571 cities in India and 14 abroad. Around 24 lakh candidates appeared for the test.
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