NEET Row: CBI Detains 4 Students From AIIMS Patna In Connection With Paper Leak Case

In a major development in the NEET paper leak case, the CBI has detained four students from AIIMS Patna, including three third-year and one second-year student.

In a significant development in the NEET paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has detained a total of four students from AIIMS Patna for questioning. On Wednesday night, the CBI detained three third-year students and one second-year student. The detained students belong to the 2021 batch. Following their detention, the CBI sealed their rooms and confiscated their mobile phones and laptops. 

According to sources, the investigation agency suspects that the exam mafia took help from these students to solve the leaked exam papers, which were then distributed to candidates. CBI is questioning them.

Dr Gopal Krushna Pal, AIIMS Patna Executive Director & CEO said, "No doctor has been arrested, but as per the information available, CBI team has taken away 4 students. One of these students was not at the hostel, he himself reported to them later. So, going by the information we have received, a total of 4 students are with the CBI. One of their senior officers had earlier shared the names of all students involved in the NEET scam along with their photos and mobile numbers. We have cooperated regarding all the help they needed. We will continue to cooperate."

"The students haven't returned yet. We don't know about the involvement of students, or how they got involved, or whether they are guilty. The students are Chandan Singh, Rahul Anand, Karan Jain and Kumar Sanu. Chandan Singh is a resident of Siwan (Bihar), Kumar Sanu is r/o Patna (Bihar), Rahul Anand is actually from Dhanbad (Jharkhand) but now lives in Patna and Karaa Jain is from Araria (Bihar)...Yesterday, CBI told us to seal their rooms. CBI has sealed 3 rooms and we sealed 1 room," AIIMS Patna Executive Director added.

On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Pankaj Kumar, also known as Aditya, a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jamshedpur. Kumar is accused of stealing the NEET-UG paper from the National Testing Agency (NTA) trunk in Hazaribagh. Kumar, a resident of Bokaro, was apprehended in Patna.

A special court in Patna on Wednesday sent the key accused Pankaj to the CBI's custody for 14 days.

The CBI also arrested Raju Singh, who allegedly assisted Kumar in the theft. Singh was arrested in Hazaribagh.

The CBI, which is investigating the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, has registered six FIRs. The FIR from Bihar pertains to the paper leak, while the remaining FIRs from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra involve impersonation of candidates and cheating.

Additionally, the CBI has registered an FIR based on a reference from the Union education ministry, calling for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024.

The NEET-UG, conducted by the NTA, is the entrance exam for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions. This year, the exam was held on May 5 at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 international locations. Over 23 lakh candidates appeared for the test.

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