Bihar Police obtain NEET reference question papers; may do narco testing of accused

PATNA: The Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police has obtained NEET reference question papers to compare these with documents recovered during a search operation last month from a flat here and is also exploring the "possibility of conducting narco analysis and brain mapping tests" of accused in the case, sources said on Saturday.

They also indicated that the Enforcement Directorate might investigate the money laundering aspect of the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination -the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET, conducted by the National Testing Agency in May.

"We had requested the NTA for the reference question papers after we began the probe last month. Finally, they did the needful. We will tally these papers with partially burnt papers seized from a Patna flat last month. This exercise is likely to be done before a forensic examination of such documents," an EOU source said.

Top officials of the EOU are likely to visit Delhi on Saturday to "discuss certain aspects of the ongoing probe with the senior officials of the Union Education Ministry and other concerned wings", he said. "Based on EOU’s FIR , the Enforcement Directorate may probe into the matter under several sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central agency is expected to identify proceeds of crime and initiate proceedings to attach properties belonging to the accused or suspects," said another source of the Economic Offences Unit.

Also read NEET was far from fair even before this year's grace marks, paper-leak controversies

NEET UG 2024 paper 'leaked'

Commenting on the development, Abhayanand, former director general of police (DGP), Bihar, told PTI: “There is no doubt that grave offences have been committed in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Prima facie, it appears that the paper was leaked… Evidence collected so far is also suggestive of the paper leak. The case must be probed under the provisions of the PMLA as black money is involved in it."

The arrested accused in the case are providing conflicting statements or changing their statements during interrogation, an EOU source said. "Officials are contemplating conducting brain mapping and narco-analysis tests. These scientific tests may provide certain fresh leads to investigators," the source said.

A narco-analysis test involves intravenous administration of a drug that causes the subject to enter into a stage of anaesthesia, during which the person becomes less inhibited and is more likely to divulge information, which would usually not be revealed in the conscious state. Brain mapping uses neuroscience to determine whether a person has specific knowledge related to a crime. This is done by measuring EEG signals in the brain. Brain mapping and narco-analysis tests are illegal without the subject's consent.

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Role of professional colleges

The EOU has also started investigating the role of some more private professional colleges in Bihar who allegedly sent solvers on behalf of real candidates in the NEET exam. “It is suspected that solvers of private colleges/institutes were allowed to appear on behalf of real candidates in connivance with officials of the examination centres, where the exam was held on May 5,” a source said.

It is also suspected that officials were bribed so that an “undeserving candidate” could sit strategically next to a “brilliant dummy candidate” who was also paid money. Search operations were conducted to nab a few suspects in Nalanda district, sources said.

The EOU, which is probing the alleged NEET-UG paper leak case, last month arrested 13 people as part of its investigation into the alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. The arrested accused included Sikandar Yadavendu, the prime suspect who is a junior engineer at the Danapur Municipal Council, aspirants and their parents.