NEET Probe: CBI meets Patna police officials again

PATNA: CBI investigators probing into the NEET paper leak on Tuesday again met officials of Shastri Nagar police station here, where the first case in this regard had been lodged early last month, sources said. The central agency team comprising a DIG and a deputy SP rank officer discussed the case with Shastri Nagar police station for the first time on Monday. The CBI sleuths also met senior officers of the Bihar Police during the day. The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, which was investigating the case before it was taken over by the CBI, on Tuesday announced that it has “concluded” its probe into the matter.

The EOU arrested a total 18 people including prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, his associates, a few aspirants and their parents in connection with the case. They are all in judicial custody now. It was learnt that the two-member CBI team also visited a house in Patna from where several of the accused were arrested and pieces of evidence were collected by the police on May 5 when the medical entrance test was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) across the country.

NEET Probe: Pieces of evidence collected

The pieces of evidence included a partially burnt question paper, mobile phones of those arrested, laptops, post-dated cheques and reference question papers provided by the NTA. “All documents and evidence pertaining to the case have been duly handed over to the CBI (on Monday). The CBI has also lodged an FIR dated June 23 in this regard. The investigation by the EOU has been concluded,” the Economic Offences Unit said in a statement issued here in the evening.

The CBI may take the arrested accused to Delhi for interrogation by obtaining transit remand from a court, sources said. The central agency may also confront all arrested accused with each other during cross examination about facts, they added.

Bihar BJP president accuses RJD of interference in NEET case

Meanwhile, Bihar BJP president Samrat Chaudhary on Tuesday claimed that RJD has no right to comment on the NEET issue since its head Lalu Prasad is a “symbol of goondaism, jungle raj and corruption”. “The matter is being investigated by the CBI and action is also being taken against those involved in this crime,” said Chaudhary, also the deputy chief minister of the state.

RJD raises allegations of NDA links with NEET paper leak suspect

The opposition RJD on Monday shared several photographs of the accused Amit Anand, Nitish Kumar and family members of Lutan Mukhiya with leaders of the ruling NDA and demanded a thorough probe into the “links” between the two sides. A few persons associated with the gang of Sanjeev Kumar alias Lutan Mukhiya were arrested in connection with the case. Another Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha last week claimed that the arrested prime suspect in the NEET “paper leak” is linked to officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.