A team from the CBI is expected to visit Patna on Monday to possibly transfer those arrested in the NEET-UG paper leak case to Delhi for questioning, according to officials. The Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has so far apprehended 18 individuals linked to the case, they confirmed.
Officials mentioned that CBI officers are expected to gather evidence from the EOU, which had been handling the investigation until the federal agency was tasked by the Centre to take over.
On Sunday, the CBI filed an FIR following alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam held on May 5, prompted by concerns raised by the Education Ministry amid widespread protests and legal actions by students demanding an investigation into the alleged paper leak.
“The CBI team plans to visit the EOU office at approximately 11:30 am to gather all evidence, including remnants of the burnt question paper recovered from a residence in Patna, mobile phones of the arrested individuals, SIM cards, laptops, post-dated cheques, and reference question papers from the National Testing Agency (NTA),” an EOU officer stated.
“All those detained are presently in judicial custody in Patna, and the CBI team may seek transit remand from a local court to move them to Delhi for thorough interrogation,” the officer added.
Additionally, the CBI may initiate multiple FIRs related to the case, investigating allegations of evidence tampering and considering disproportionate assets (DA) charges against certain public servants implicated.
“One such case may involve Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, a junior engineer with Danapur Town Council, who allegedly amassed significant assets disproportionate to his known income sources,” the officer noted.
Originally from Samastipur, Yadvendu is identified as the primary suspect in the case and has a history of criminal involvement, having previously been implicated in a Rs 3 crore LED scam in Ranchi and serving a prison term for his role in that incident.
(With inputs from PTI)