A fresh case has been filed in connection with the alleged paper leak in medical entrance exam NEET, by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has taken charge of the probe following a complaint by the Ministry of Human Resources. The fresh case against unidentified persons alleges fraud and criminal conspiracy. The accused arrested by the states will also be taken into custody, sources said.
The ministry has asked the CBI to inquire into the role of public servants, if any, connected with the holding of the exam and the "larger conspiracy", sources said.
The CBI takeover of the case comes a day after the government --- which initially dismissed the possibility of a paper leak -- announced that the probe will be handed over to the central agency.
There were allegations of irregularities, including cheating, impersonation and other malpractices after the results of the NEET-UG 2024 was declared on June 4 -- days before schedule.
Student protests have been raging across the country since, amplified by the Opposition, and the matter has snowballed into a huge political row.
The students have been demanding the exam be rescheduled for everyone and not the 1500-odd students who received grace marks.
This, however, has not been accepted by the government and the re-test for 1,563 candidates, who had initially received grace marks, is being held today.
The initial exam was held on May 5, which was taken by 24 lakh students across the country.
When the results were declared, it was found that 67 students scored an unprecedented 720/720 marks. Over 500 students received grace marks. The outcome was unnaturally high cut-off percentage that triggered waves of apprehension among students over finding a berth at any college.
As the protests started and investigation followed, several men were arrested in Bihar, who, the police said, admitted to a leak. One of them, a student taking the exam, said he was given the papers the night before the exam.
The chief of the National Testing Agency or NTA, which conducted the test, has been fired.
