Half-burnt question papers of the NEET-UG 2024 exam, recovered by the CBI, provided a crucial clue to the probe agency and assisted them in unravelling the paper leak case.
In its first official statement regarding the NEET paper leak case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed crucial details about the crime.
According to the CBI, the NEET UG 2024 question paper was illicitly accessed on May 5, 2024, from the Oasis School in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
Pankaj Kumar, also known as Aditya or Sahil, identified as one of the masterminds behind the leak, along with the school's principal, vice principal, and an associate, were involved in the unauthorised access to the exam papers, the probe agency said.
“The recovered pieces of half burnt question papers enabled CBI to reach the designated NEET examination centre from where it leaked,” the probe agency said.
The trunks carrying the NEET question papers were brought to school and kept in the control room on May 5 morning. Minutes after the trunks arrived, the school principal and vice principal allowed the masterminds of the paper leak to access the room, CBI said.
The group reportedly used sophisticated tools to open the trunk containing the question papers and accessed the contents without authorisation.
After gaining access to the question paper, it was solved by a group of MBBS students, referred to as "solvers," in Hazaribagh. The solved papers were then shared with selected students who paid for the answers.
The CBI has identified and arrested most of the solvers involved in the operation.
The investigation has also uncovered that the accused were supported by a network of individuals who arranged for housing the candidates and managing their transportation.
Efforts are currently underway to trace all students who received the leaked question papers, with appropriate actions being taken against them.
The CBI investigation, which has been underway since June 23 this year, has led to 36 arrests, including 15 individuals apprehended by the Bihar Police.
