NEET paper leak may have happened last year too; Leak linked to NTA system
NEW DELHI: The CBI suspects that the NEET question paper may have been leaked last year as well. The suspicion arose after it was found that some close relatives of the arrested BJP leader Dinesh Binwal had secured high ranks in last year’s NEET exam despite scoring only average marks in their Class 12 board examinations. Investigators are now trying to find out how they managed to achieve such high ranks in the medical entrance exam.
Reports also say that the CBI has found evidence suggesting that the question paper leak originated from the system of the National Testing Agency (NTA). According to investigators, two sets of question papers, handwritten and typed versions, were leaked. Officials are conducting further investigations to confirm more details. The CBI on Saturday arrested another member of the expert committee appointed by the NTA to prepare the question papers. The accused, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a biology teacher from Pune, was responsible for preparing the Botany and Zoology sections of the exam. She has reportedly confessed to her involvement in the crime during questioning at the CBI headquarters in Delhi.
Earlier, chemistry teacher P. V. Kulkarni, another member of the committee, was also arrested. With the latest arrest, the total number of accused in the case has risen to nine. Meanwhile, a Delhi court granted the CBI 10 days’ custody of P.V. Kulkarni and Pune-based beautician Manisha Waghmare, who is believed to be a key link in the racket. The order was issued by the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. The CBI had sought 14 days of custody when the accused were produced before the court.
Although the NEET exam was held on May 3, investigators believe the question paper had already been leaked in April. Through Manisha Waghmare, the teacher who was part of the expert committee, allegedly gathered students for the scheme. Special coaching classes were reportedly conducted at the teacher’s house, where students were given questions that were almost certain to appear in the examination. Those same questions later appeared in the actual exam. The CBI also carried out raids at six locations across different states on Saturday. Officials seized important documents, laptops, bank statements, and mobile phones during the raids. Meanwhile, the United Doctors Front has filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India demanding the dissolution of the NTA.
Earlier, BJP leader Dinesh Binwal from Udaipur, his brother Mangilal Binwal, and Mangilal’s elder son Vikas were arrested in connection with the case. The CBI is currently searching for Dinesh’s son Rishi. Investigators say Dinesh allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh to obtain the leaked question paper for his son.