Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha Thursday claimed that the arrested prime accused in the NEET ‘paper leak’ is linked to officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and demanded an investigation into it.
Addressing a press conference here, Sinha claimed that the official was in constant touch with Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, the arrested prime accused in the case.
“The official associated with Yadav used to arrange accommodation for Sikandar at guest houses in Patna and other places. I have details of messages which the official had sent to the persons concerned for arranging accommodation for Sikandar,” the deputy chief minister said.
Sinha said he has the mobile number from which those messages were sent.
Sinha said, “It needs to be thoroughly probed. Why is the RJD leader (Tejashwi Prasad) maintaining a stoic silence on this?”
There are reports suggesting that the accused was also associated with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad when he was in judicial custody in Ranchi, the deputy chief minister said.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Bihar Police had last month arrested 13 people as part of its investigation into the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG 2024. The arrested accused included examinees, their parents and alleged mastermind Sikander Prasad Yadvendu.
“The entire sequence of events reveals how RJD leaders indulge in corrupt practices. There are reports suggesting that the accused was associated with Lalu Prasad during his judicial custody in Ranchi,” the Deputy CM alleged.
Despite repeated attempts by PTI, no RJD leaders were available for comments on the allegations levelled by Sinha.
Meanwhile, sources indicated that the Economic Offences Unit (EOU), which examined two more suspects on Wednesday, was presented with material evidence during the investigation.
The EOU has already recovered post-dated cheques suspected to have been issued in favour of mafia or gang members who allegedly demanded over Rs 30 lakh from each candidate seeking the leaked question paper ahead of last month’s exam, sources said.
Earlier, Deputy Inspector General (EOU) Manavjit Singh Dhillon had informed PTI that six such post-dated cheques had been recovered.
“During the investigation, EOU sleuths recovered six post-dated cheques issued in favour of alleged criminals who reportedly facilitated question papers to aspirants before the examination,” Dhillon said.
Investigators are verifying details about account holders from banks, he added.
Sources added that the EOU has summoned seven additional candidates to join the probe.
NEET-UG 2024, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), took place at 4,750 centres in 571 cities in which more than 24 lakh candidates appeared. The results were declared on June 4.
However, immediately after the results were announced, students raised allegations of irregularities when 67 students achieved top scores, amidst claims of question paper leaks in Bihar.
A group of candidates approached the Supreme Court demanding a fresh exam due to alleged paper leaks and concerns about the test’s integrity.
“It is suspected that nine aspirants, including four from Bihar who have already been arrested by the EOU, allegedly received the question paper and answers at a ‘safe house’ near Patna a day before it was conducted on May 5,” sources said.
According to sources, police conducted a search at the rented premises and recovered mobile phones, admit cards, and other incriminating documents.
“EOU sleuths also retrieved partially burnt question papers from the safe house,” he added.
“We have requested reference question papers from the NTA, but have not yet received a response. Once we obtain those, we will send the burnt question papers to the appropriate forensic laboratory for examination,” the DIG mentioned.
EOU sources revealed that their investigation uncovered the distribution of NEET-UG question papers and answers to around 35 aspirants before the exam.
PTI