NEET UG 2024: CBI detains four MBBS students of AIIMS Patna suspected to be part of solver gang

In connection to the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) UG paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) detained four undergraduate students of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, on July 18.

All of them are MBBS students of the institute's 2021 classes, and are said to have helped in solving the paper of the alleged examination.

According to CBI sources, Pankaj Kumar, who was arrested on July 16, stole a NEET question paper from a trunk owned by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The question paper was then supplied to a group of "solvers" who had been assigned with solving the question paper. These four Patna AIIMS students who were detained belong to the "solvers" group.

Three students were arrested by the CBI team when they arrived at the Patna AIIMS campus on July 17. Subsequently, a fourth student came forward to surrender at the CBI office. They were taken into custody on July 18 after being brought before the Special CBI Court, which remanded them for four days.

According to sources, the names of the four students reportedly surfaced during the interrogation of Rakesh Ranjan, also known as Rocky, a significant defendant in the case.

Rocky is believed to be a reliable assistant of Sanjeev Mukhiya, the suspected case leader, and is also said to have set up the students' NEET paper solution.

According to CBI sources, Rocky was the one who arranged for MBBS students from Ranchi and Patna to solve the question paper.

Pankaj and Raju Singh, two suspects, were taken into custody by the CBI on July 16. Singh is accused of assisting Pankaj, a resident of Bokaro of Jharkhand, in his illegal act, while Pankaj was detained in Patna on suspicion of stealing the exam paper. Both were sent on 14-day CBI remand by the Special Court in Patna on July 17.

Before taking the four students from the campus, a senior CBI officer had revealed their names, photos, and mobile numbers, said G.K. Pal, the Executive Director of Patna AIIMS.

The four of them have been identified as Chandan Singh, from the Siwan district of Bihar; Kumar Shanu, from Patna; Rahul Anand, from the Dhanbad district in Jharkhand; and Karan Jain, from the Araria district of Bihar, who surrendered himself at the CBI office. Jain is a second-year MBBS student, while the others are third-year students, said Dr. Pal.

"The CBI officials have asked us not to touch their diary, notebook, laptop, or mobile phone. Right now, the room is shut, but the CBI agents will open it in front of me and grab whatever stuff they desire. The four students have not returned yet from CBI custody and we are just cooperating with the CBI," he added.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) administered the NEET (UG) 2024 to over 24 lakh students at 4,750 centers in 571 locations (including 14 abroad). The results of the NEET (UG) 2024 were announced on June 4.

The NTA established the 4-member committee, which made the decision to invalidate the scorecards of these 1,563 students and provided them with the choice to retake the exam. The retest was scheduled for June 23.