NEET UG 2024: CBI takes over probe into alleged impersonation in Maharashtra exam centre

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation of another incident of alleged malpractice in the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024 in Maharashtra. The agency will probe the case of alleged impersonation where a college student forged her identity and appeared for the medical entrance exam in place of another. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted NEET 2024 on May 5 for admission to MBBS and BDS programmes in the medical and dental colleges across the country.

According to a First Information Report (FIR) accessed by Careers360, Nishika Premprakash Yadav, hailing from Rajasthan’s Alwar, a second-year student at Jawahar Medical College, appeared as a dummy student on behalf of Mayuri Manohar Patil in the NEET exam held at School of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, DY Patil Deemed To Be University in Navi Mumbai.

During the exam held between 2 pm and 5:20 pm, the director of the school received a call from an NTA official, Sharad Sharma, who directed her to inspect the student and let her take the exam. Upon inspection of the student’s Aadhaar Card, it was found that there was a mismatch between the biometric attendance and her ID. Following this, the examinee was declared as a fake student.

The state government decided to hand over the case to the CBI. “With reference to the above subject, I have been directed to convey that the Government of Maharashtra has decided to hand over the investigation of C.R. No. 98/2024 registered at CBD Belapur Police Station, Navi Mumbai, Maharahtra, to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” said Maharashtra joint secretary in a letter to the personnel and training department. The governor also gave his consent to handing over the case.

Also read Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling 2024: Candidates allege irregularities in college-level admissions

Following the request of the Maharashtra government, the Centre ordered CBI to take over the matter in its hands. In an official notification, the ministry of personnel, public grievances, and pensions specified the offences, also to be investigated by the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment, namely ‘Offences punishable under sections 7 and 8 of The Maharashtra Prevention Of Malpractices At University, Board And Other Specified Examination, ACT 1982 (ACT NO XXXI OF 1982)’ and ‘any attempt, abetment and/or conspiracy, in relation to or in connection with above mentioned offences and/or for any other offences committed in the course of the same transaction or arising out of the same facts’.

CBI probe into NEET 2024 malpractices

The probe agency previously arrested one person in Maharashtra in connection with a Latur case wherein two government school teachers in had demanded over Rs 5 lakh from NEET UG aspirants to help them succeed. CBI made its first arrests in the NEET case in June this year, nabbing two persons from Patna for their alleged involvement in NEET UG paper leak and cheating.

In June this year, the Ministry of Education ordered CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities and malpractices in NEET UG 2024 following a huge controversy and widespread protests by students and opposition parties.