The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its fifth chargesheet in the NEET-UG 2024 question paper theft case, presenting it before the Court of Special Judge for CBI in Patna. This latest chargesheet implicates five individuals: Amit Kumar Singh from Dhanbad; Sudip Kumar and Yuvraj Kumar, both from Bokaro; Abhimanyu Patel from Nalanda; and Amit Kumar from Patna. All five are currently in judicial custody, bringing the total number of individuals charged in this case to 45.
The chargesheet includes various sections of the Indian Penal Code, such as:
- Section 120-B: Criminal Conspiracy
- Section 109: Abetment
- Section 409: Criminal Breach of Trust
- Section 420: Cheating
- Section 380: Theft
- Section 201: Causing Disappearance of Evidence
- Section 411: Dishonestly Receiving Stolen Property
Additionally, charges under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), have been applied.
Prior to this, the CBI had filed four chargesheets on August 1, September 19, October 5, and November 7, naming 40 other accused individuals. The investigation was taken over by the CBI from Shastri Nagar Police Station, Patna, on June 23, 2024.
The CBI has identified candidates who benefited from the paper theft and MBBS students who either solved the stolen paper or appeared as impersonators. These details have been shared with the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Ministry of Education for further action.
The NEET-UG, conducted by the NTA, is a nationwide examination for admissions to undergraduate medical courses in both government and private institutions. The 2024 exam was held on May 5. Following allegations of a paper leak, the Bihar Police initiated an investigation, which was subsequently handed over to the CBI by the central government.
Investigations revealed that the NEET-UG 2024 question paper was stolen from the control room of OASIS School in Hazaribagh on the morning of May 5, after the trunks containing the question papers arrived from the bank vault. Pankaj Kumar, one of the accused, was reportedly granted access to the control room by the school’s Principal, Ahsanul Haque, and Vice Principal, Imtiyaz Alam.
According to the CBI, Pankaj Kumar tampered with the trunk’s hinges, extracted a question paper, photographed all its pages, replaced the paper, resealed the trunk, and exited the control room. He then handed the photographs to his accomplice, Surendra Kumar Sharma, at Raj Guest House in Hazaribagh. The stolen question papers were printed and given to a group of MBBS students—Karan Jain, Kumar Shanu, Rahul Anand, Chandan Singh, Surbhi Kumari, Deependra Sharma, Raunak Raj, Sandeep Kumar, and Amit Kumar—who solved the paper.
THE HINDU
The solved question papers were subsequently distributed to candidates present at Raj Guest House, Hazaribagh, and scanned copies were sent digitally to predetermined locations where other gang members received them. Only those who had paid in advance were granted access to these locations. After the exams, candidates were prohibited from taking any printed copies with them. The CBI discovered half-burnt pieces of the question paper at Learn Play School in Patna, which led them to OASIS School.
In a related development, the CBI has filed a fifth supplementary chargesheet in the NEET-UG examination paper leak case, naming key gang member Amit Kumar Singh and four others. The charges include criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption. The paper, intended for candidates across India, was leaked and distributed illegally.
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.
The CBI has been investigating the theft and leakage of the NEET-UG 2024 question paper since June 23, 2024, subsequent to taking over of the Case No. 358/2024, dated 05.05.2024, registered under Sections 407/408/409/120(B) of the IPC, at the Shastrinagar police station (Patna), Bihar.
The investigation revealed that the NEET-UG 2024 question paper was stolen from the control room of OASIS School in Hazaribagh on May 5. The theft occurred after the trunks containing the question papers arrived from the bank vault.
The CBI filed the first chargesheet in the case on August 1, charging 13 individuals for criminal conspiracy, cheating, and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
The CBI has also identified the beneficiary candidates of the paper leak and shared their details with the National Testing Agency for necessary action.
The investigation revealed that the NEET-UG 2024 question paper was stolen from the control room of OASIS School in Hazaribagh on May 5. The theft occurred after the trunks containing the question papers arrived from the bank vault.
The CBI filed the second charges
sheet on September 19, naming 12 more individuals in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. This was followed by the third chargesheet on October 5, implicating 10 additional suspects, and the fourth on November 7, identifying five more accused. Each of these chargesheets has progressively unraveled the depth and complexity of the conspiracy, revealing a well-coordinated network of individuals involved in the theft, solving, and distribution of the stolen question paper.
The investigation has highlighted the role of key institutions and officials whose actions facilitated the paper leak. This includes the involvement of staff at OASIS School, Hazaribagh, where the control room was manipulated to steal the question paper, and other accomplices who disseminated the solved papers to candidates who paid substantial sums to gain unfair advantages.
Digital Trail and Payments
According to the CBI, the operation included a digital component where solved papers were scanned and distributed through encrypted messaging platforms. Payments for these services were made in advance, with candidates depositing money via both online banking channels and cash transactions. The examination center locations involved in these activities were strategically chosen to evade early detection.
Consequences for Beneficiary Candidates
The CBI has also shared the names of candidates who benefited from the stolen paper with the National Testing Agency (NTA). These candidates face the possibility of being disqualified, having their results annulled, and being barred from appearing in future competitive examinations. The NTA, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, is expected to implement stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Strengthening NEET-UG Security
In response to the paper leak, the Ministry of Education and the NTA are reportedly revisiting the security protocols for NEET-UG. This includes enhancing surveillance during the transport of question papers, deploying tamper-proof packaging, and implementing biometric verification for entry into examination centers. The authorities are also exploring technological solutions like blockchain to secure question paper management.
The paper leak scandal has sparked widespread outrage among students and parents, many of whom have demanded stringent action against those involved. The case has also reignited debates on the need for systemic reforms in the conduct of national-level competitive examinations.
Legal experts have emphasized the importance of deterrent punishment for those involved to uphold the integrity of such examinations. Meanwhile, education policy analysts have pointed out the necessity for a more transparent and technologically advanced framework to eliminate vulnerabilities in the examination system.
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The next court hearing in the NEET-UG paper leak case is scheduled soon, where the charges against the latest accused will be examined in detail. The CBI is continuing its investigation to uncover any remaining culprits and to ensure accountability at all levels involved in this scandal.
