The controversy around the NEET UG-2024 entrance exam results isn't dying down anytime soon. An engineer deployed at Bihar's Danapur Nagar Parishad (Danapur Town Council) has made startling claims in a confession note that has recently surfaced.
As per the confession letter, the engineer, identified as Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, claimed he assisted the stay of 4 NEET candidates and the guardian of one of them in Patna. He added his nephew and NEET aspirant Anurag Yadav came to Patna with his mother Reena Kumari to appear for the NEET 2024 exam, India Today reported.
Yadav told him that he desired results 'as promised earlier,' the Bihar-based engineer alleged. Going ahead, he claimed that he made logistical arrangements for other candidates- Ayush Raj, Shivanandan Kumar and Abhishek Kumar apart from Anurag Yadav and his mother Reena.
Yadavendu's letter further mentioned that he was in touch with a racket, which leaked question papers for not only NEET but also Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams.
Moreover, the bookings at a guest house where the candidates stayed, marked as National Highways, Gulzarbagh Division, Patna, confirmed Anurag's name. The guest house had rough bills, something which the financial regulatory bodies caution businesses and entities against.
The bill books at the guest house also mentioned a certain 'Mantri Ji', who allegedly facilitated the Yadav's stay and that of his accomplices. The guest house is located near the Patna Zoo and Patna Airport. The staff also told India Today that as they joined later, they had no information about those staying at the place.
Commenting on the NEET probe, Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Sinha assured aspirants that action will be taken against all those who are guilty.
"Those who have been nabbed at Guest House are linked to one Pritam. People say that he is linked to former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav," he further said. He also said that he has issued warnings in his department regarding the same.
The development comes after the Supreme Court on Monday rapped the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA). While hearing the pleas pertaining to alleged paper leaks and malpractices in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, the top court issued a notice and sought response from the Centre and the NTA.
"Even if there is 0.001% negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with," the top court said.
Moreover, Bihar Police's Economic Offences Unit (EOU) on Sunday recovered 6 post-dated cheques suspected to have been issued in favour of mafia demanding Rs 30 lakh from each candidate seeking the leaked question paper ahead of the NEET exam last month.
"We have sought reference question papers from the NTA. It has not responded to this so far. Once we get reference question papers from the NTA, we will send the burnt question paper to the appropriate forensic laboratory for its examination," Bihar Police DIG was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
So far, 13 people belonging to Bihar have been arrested in connection with the case. Those arrested include 4 examinees and their family members. Besides this, the EOU has issued notices to 9 candidates (7 from Bihar and 1 each from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra) to join the probe.
(With inputs from Aditya Vaibhav, PTI)