NEET Paper Leak Case: First hearing adjourned after CBI counsel did not appear in fast-track court

NEW DELHI: The first hearing in the designated court to deal with the NEET paper leak case was adjourned on Monday after no one appeared on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Bail pleas of two accused, Dinesh Biwal and Vikas Biwal, were listed for hearing before Special Judge Anu Grover Baliga.

"None appears on behalf of the state till 10.45 am to argue on the bail application," the judge said. She noted the submissions of the counsel of the accused that the matter be adjourned to August 3 as he had to argue a matter in the Rohini district courts and that he was unable to wait any longer.

Adjourning the matter to August 3, the judge directed the "director of prosecution to depute a public prosecutor in the present court". The special judge took charge of the designated court to deal with criminal cases arising from paper leaks and the use of other unfair means in public examinations on Saturday.

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Delhi HC notice for fast-track courts

Earlier on July 23, the Delhi High Court had issued a notification, saying that Judicial Officer Baliga's court would function as a "Specially Designated Fast Track Court" to try offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and connected offences with immediate effect.

The notification was issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that fast-track courts would be set up to swiftly deal with cases of paper leaks. Earlier on Friday, Special Judge Ajay Gupta, who was initially hearing the NEET paper leak case, had extended the judicial custody of all 13 accused till August 6 while dismissing the bail plea of accused paediatrician Dr Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure, saying it is prima facie clear from the probe that he was "one of the active conspirators of an organised paper leak gang".

On May 12, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, held on May 3 for medical admissions amid allegations of paper leak. A re-exam was then held on June 21.