NEET-UG case: In first arrests, CBI nabs 2 from Patna
New Delhi: The CBI on Thursday made its first arrests in the Neet-UG paper leak case, taking two people -- Manish Kumar and Ashutosh Kumar -- in custody in Patna for allegedly providing safe accommodation to the medical entrance test aspirants before the examination, where they were given leaked question papers and answer keys.
According to agency sources, the duo were produced before a special court in Patna, which sent them to judicial custody. The Central probe agency will now seek their remand from the court to question them, they said.
Ashutosh had allegedly taken the Learn Boys Hostel and Play School in Patna on rent from which the economic offence unit of the Bihar police had recovered half-burnt Neet-UG examination question papers, the sources further added.
During questioning, the CBI found that Ashutosh knew that the premise was being used for providing question papers to Neet-UG aspirants, while Manish allegedly struck deals with candidates who were ready to pay money for getting the question papers in advance, the agency sources further said.
Manish then brought these candidates to the hostel, where they were provided with the paper and the answer key, they said, adding that aspirants remained in the hostel till the examination and prepared for the text held on May 5.
So far, the Central anti-graft agency has registered six FIRs in the Neet-UG paper leak case.
The first CBI FIR was registered on Sunday, a day after the ministry announced it will hand over the probe into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the exam to the Central agency amid the demand for a CBI probe raised by a section of protesting students.
The Neet-UG is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
This year's examination was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad. Over 23 lakh candidates appeared for the test.