NEET UG Irregularities row: CBI arrests suspected key conspirator from Jharkhand

According to the official, the suspected key conspirator, identified as Aman Singh, was arrested in Dhanbad, Jharkhand.

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested the suspected key conspirator concerning the irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG case, said the official. According to the official, the suspected key conspirator, identified as Aman Singh, was arrested in Dhanbad, Jharkhand.

Earlier on Friday, the CBI nabbed two accused, namely — Dr. Ehsaan Ul Haq and Imtiaz Alam — who were working as the principal and vice principal of the Oasis School in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh. Haq was appointed the city coordinator by the NEET-UG exam 2024.
This also follows two more arrests made by the central agency in Bihar’s Patna.

A senior official with the CBI confirmed the arrest of two people identified as Manish Prakash and Ashutosh. The arrested individuals were found to be operating from Patna.The official said that while the accused, Ashutosh, was arranging safe house premises for the students, the other accused, Manish, used to take the candidates to a school to ‘prepare’ them for the exam.

“Manish Prakash transported the students in his car. While the students were accommodated in Ashutosh’s house,” the CBI officer pointed out.
Earlier last month, the central government entrusted the CBI with the matter pertaining to the irregularities in the NEET-UG case for a comprehensive investigation.

Accordingly, the CBI registered multiple FIRs in the case, related to reported paper leaks, impersonation of candidates and cheating.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG examination, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities. This prompted a series of protests across the country, with demonstrators and political parties demanding to disband the NTA.

Meanwhile , the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 8 a batch of pleas alleging paper leak and irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.