The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made a significant breakthrough in the NEET-UG paper leak case by arresting Rakesh Ranjan, alias ‘Rocky’, believed to be the key figure behind the nationwide racket. Rocky’s arrest follows a series of developments in the investigation, which has also led to the apprehension of over a dozen individuals, including school officials from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
Rocky has been remanded to the CBI’s custody for 10 days as the agency intensifies its probe, conducting raids at four locations in Bihar and West Bengal linked to the case. The arrests and raids are part of a broader effort by various state police forces and the CBI to dismantle a network involved in leaking question papers for competitive exams like NEET.
The origins of the NEET paper leak are believed to trace back to the Oasis School in Hazaribagh, where sealed question papers were allegedly tampered with before the exam date. Rocky, present during the unsealing, reportedly facilitated the distribution of leaked questions to ‘solver gangs’, organized groups that provide answers to exam candidates for a hefty price.
Sanjeev Mukhiya, another key figure in the racket with a history of involvement spanning two decades, remains at large. Authorities suspect Mukhiya’s deep involvement in orchestrating the scam alongside Rocky.
The arrest of Rocky marks a critical development in the ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 exam, which saw nearly 24 lakh students appearing for the test. Concerns arose after an unprecedented number of perfect scores were reported, prompting calls for investigations and even a retest for some students.
The case has now reached the Supreme Court, with petitions demanding the cancellation of the exam amid allegations of widespread irregularities. The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting NEET, has vehemently denied claims of a widespread leak, attributing discrepancies to differences in textbook editions and asserting that the number of high-scoring candidates was not unusually high.
Sources By Agencies
