'A sophisticated gang, some students, and examination personnel were involved in compromising the integrity of the chain of custody for the NEET question papers,'
revealed a mystery call to Bihar police while the NEET UG 2024 exam was in progress. Following the tip-off, main suspects Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, Akhilesh Kumar, and Bittu Kumar were apprehended.
The first detection of the alleged paper leak on May 5, 2024, was recorded in an FIR filed by Bihar Police. SHO Amar Singh (44) from Shastrinagar station detailed the incident, reporting that at 2:05 PM (shortly after the NEET UG had commenced at 2 PM), officers on patrol received intel that today's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), organized by the National Testing Agency (NTA), had been compromised. It was also informed that suspects were spotted circling the examination center in a white Renault Duster.
The suspects attempted to flee but were cornered and captured by the police,
according to the SHo based on the FIR, a vehicle search was initiated on Bailey Road near Rajvanshi Nagar turning. During the search, a white Renault Duster was spotted approaching from the direction of Patel Bhawan, which was immediately surrounded and stopped by the police. The vehicle's passengers attempted to accelerate away upon stopping, but with the support of additional forces, they were captured. Upon interrogation, the names of Sikandar Yadavendu (56 years old), Akhilesh Kumar (43 years old), and Bittu Kumar (38 years old) were revealed.
Sikandar's vehicle yielded NEET admit card photocopies for four students and during the search, photocopy receipts of admit cards belonging to Abhishek Kumar, Shivnandan Kumar, Ayush Raj, and Anurag Yadav (Sikandar's nephew Anurag Yadav) were found tucked in front of the passenger seat.
Source: aajtak
Exposed tactics include tampering and orchestrated cheating in the test
Sikandar confessed during intense interrogation that several of their students were sitting for exams at various centers in Patna. They had been arranged seating through Rajiv Singh, Rocky Neetish, and Amit Anand. Sikander also admitted to taking some students to learn the answers for NEET examination questions.
Ayush Raj was the first examinee to be caught
after the vehicle's admit cards and the arrested trio's intel led the police to an examination center. Following the post-exam inquiry, Ayush Raj revealed that he had been given the question papers with answers the night before the exam at the Learn Boys Hostel and Learn Play School in Khemnichak and was told to memorize them. Astonishingly, all questions matched 100% with what he had been given. Further disclosures by Ayush Raj indicated that 20 to 25 other candidates had been provided with similar answers to memorize.
Source: aajtak
NEET's Nalanda Connection
Following the arrests of Sikandar, Nitish, and Amit Anand, Sanjeev Mukhiya's name has also surfaced in the NEET paper leak case. Sanjeev, a decade-long operative in paper leaks, had previously been implicated in the BPSC paper leak. It is believed that Sanjeev operates his network from Nalanda and his son, an MBBS doctor, Shiv Kumar has been incarcerated for involvement in the BPSC TRE paper leak case.
The EOU team has intensified its search for Sanjeev Mukhiya, with a comprehensive report on the NEET paper leak submitted to the Ministry of Education by June 21. The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions on July 8 concerning the NEET paper leak, including demands for exam cancellation, CBI investigation, and a halt on NEET UG counseling proceedings.
