NEET 2024 Paper Leak: The Central Board of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Aman Singh, the main conspirator from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, in the NEET 2024 paper leak case on Wednesday. According to an ANI report, Singh was arrested in Dhanbad after the CBI team received a tip-off.
This is the seventh arrest made by the CBI in the NEET 2024 paper leak case. Previously, six people were arrested in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Gujarat.
NEET 2024 Paper Leak: CBI Arrests Jharkhands Key Accused
Earlier, three other conspirators of the NEET UG 2024 paper leak were arrested from Hazaribagh. They are Jamaluddin, a journalist at a Hindi newspaper, Dr. Ehsanhul Haque, Principal of Oasis School, and Imtiaz Alam, Vice Principal of Oasis School.
-
Last week, a 12-member CBI team visited Hazaribagh and interrogated Dr. Haque and other staff members of Oasis School. Based on their investigation, the CBI made arrests.
Before that, Manish Prakash and Ashutosh Kumar from Patna were arrested. They helped arrange accommodation in the Khemnichak area of Patna, where the leaked NEET 2024 question papers were given to 20 to 25 students to memorize the answers the night before the exam.
On Sunday, the CBI arrested Dixit Patel, owner of Jay Jalram School in Godhra, Gujarat. He allegedly solicited INR 5 lakh and INR 10 lakh from candidates to help improve their NEET 2024 scores.
NEET 2024 Paper Leak: CBI Arrests Jharkhands Key Accused |
|||
Name |
Role |
Location |
Details |
Aman Singh |
Main Conspirator |
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand |
Arrested in Dhanbad after a tip-off. Seventh arrest in the NEET 2024 paper leak case. |
Jamaluddin |
Journalist at a Hindi newspaper |
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand |
Arrested as a conspirator in the NEET 2024 paper leak. |
Dr. Ehsanhul Haque |
Principal, Oasis School |
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand |
Arrested as a conspirator. Interrogated by CBI. |
Imtiaz Alam |
Vice Principal, Oasis School |
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand |
Arrested as a conspirator. |
Manish Prakash |
- |
Patna, Bihar |
Arrested for helping arrange accommodation for leaking NEET 2024 papers. |
Ashutosh Kumar |
- |
Patna, Bihar |
Arrested for helping arrange accommodation for leaking NEET 2024 papers. |
Dixit Patel |
Owner, Jay Jalram School |
Godhra, Gujarat |
Arrested for soliciting money from candidates to improve NEET 2024 scores. |
NEET 2024 Paper Leak: CBI Arrests Jharkhand's Key Accused Aman Singh
In a major development in the NEET 2024 paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Aman Singh, a key suspect from Jharkhand. Singh, believed to be a central figure in the case, was arrested in Dhanbad on July 3, 2024. This arrest is a significant breakthrough for the CBI, which has been investigating the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 exam. The exam, held on May 5, 2024, had over 2.3 million candidates across 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 abroad.
Key Developments in the NEET 2024 Paper Leak Case
The CBI has developed information about a group based in Jharkhand allegedly involved in the paper leak, leading to Singh's arrest. He is the sixth person arrested in this case. Earlier arrests include:
-
Jamaluddin Ansari, a journalist from Jharkhand, for allegedly trying to help the head and vice-head of Oasis School in Hazaribagh.
-
Ehsanul Haque, the head of Oasis School, and Imtiaz Alam, the vice-head of Oasis School, both accused in the paper leak case.
-
Dixit Patel, the owner of Jay Jalaram School in Godhra, Gujarat, for allegedly asking for bribes ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh from candidates in exchange for improving their exam scores.
The CBI has also registered six FIRs in the case. The FIR from Bihar is about the paper leak, while the remaining FIRs from Gujarat and Rajasthan are about impersonation of candidates and cheating. The agency's own FIR, based on a reference from the Union Education Ministry, is about a "complete investigation" into alleged wrongdoings in the medical entrance exam.
Alleged Malpractices and Protests
The NEET-UG 2024 results, announced on June 4, 2024, caused an uproar among students, who raised many concerns. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, leading to widespread protests across the country. Alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) sparked these protests. Demonstrators and political parties have demanded the NTA be disbanded.
CBI's Investigation and Spot Verification
As part of its investigation, the CBI team visited some places in Patna for spot verification, accompanied by Baldev Kumar, also known as Chintu, and Mukesh Kumar, both residents of Nalanda, Bihar. It is alleged that the solved question paper of the NEET exam was received on Chintu's mobile phone in PDF format, printed using a Wi-Fi printer, and given to the candidates to memorize the answers at a play school. Mukesh Kumar allegedly helped in picking up and dropping off the candidates after they memorized the answers.
The CBI also searched multiple locations in the Godhra, Ahmedabad, Kheda, and Anand districts of Gujarat regarding an alleged attempt to help 30 students at a Godhra exam center during the test.
Reactions and Demands
The alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam have caused outrage among students and their families, who are demanding a fair and transparent investigation. Many are also calling for the cancellation of the exam and a re-test to ensure a level playing field for all candidates.Political parties have joined in, accusing the government of failing to ensure the integrity of the examination process. The opposition has demanded strict action against those responsible for the paper leak and has called for a complete overhaul of the examination system to prevent such incidents in the future.
NEET 2024 Paper Leak FAQs
Q1. Who was recently arrested by the CBI in connection to the NEET 2024 paper leak?
Answer: Aman Singh, a key suspect from Jharkhand, was recently arrested by the CBI.
Q2. How many people have been arrested so far in the NEET 2024 paper leak case?
Answer: So far, seven people have been arrested in connection with the NEET 2024 paper leak case.
Q3. What led to the protests among NEET-UG 2024 aspirants?
Answer: The protests were triggered by the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam and an unprecedented number of perfect scores, with 67 candidates achieving 720 out of 720 marks.
Q4. What actions have been taken by the CBI in their investigation?
Answer: The CBI has arrested multiple suspects, conducted spot verification visits, and searched locations in Bihar and Gujarat related to the paper leak.
Q5. What are the demands of students and political parties regarding the NEET 2024 paper leak?
Answer: Students and political parties are demanding a fair and transparent investigation, cancellation of the exam, a re-test, and strict action against those responsible for the leak. They are also calling for a complete overhaul of the examination system.