CBI Intensifies NEET Paper Leak Probe With Fresh Interrogations in Nagpur
The Central Bureau of Investigation has significantly accelerated its inquiry into the NEET UG paper leak scandal, with officials conducting ground-level operations in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region. On Tuesday, a joint team comprising CBI officers from both Delhi and Nagpur units carried out coordinated questioning of three candidates connected to the case.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, two of the candidates who were questioned are residents of Nagpur, while the third hails from the neighbouring Chandrapur district. The interrogation sessions were accompanied by search operations at the residences of these individuals. However, officials have confirmed that no arrests or detentions were made during these particular actions. Investigators gathered significant information from the candidates and their families and also scrutinised several documents as part of the ongoing probe.
Arrest Tally Reaches Ten as Coaching Operator Taken Into Custody
The total number of arrests in connection with the leak now stands at ten. Just a day prior to the latest questioning, the CBI took Shivraj Motegaonkar, the operator of a coaching institute based in Latur, Maharashtra, into custody. Motegaonkar runs RCC Coaching Institute, an establishment that specialises in preparing students for the medical entrance examination.
The investigation has revealed that RCC Coaching operates a network of nine branches across Maharashtra, with its primary facility situated in Latur. Investigators suspect that Motegaonkar had associations with P.V. Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer whose name has previously surfaced during the probe. Kulkarni has already been questioned by the CBI in earlier phases of the investigation. Reports indicate that Kulkarni also had professional connections with the National Testing Agency, the body responsible for conducting the NEET examination.
Opposition Mounts Pressure on Central Government
Meanwhile, the paper leak controversy continues to fuel political friction, with opposition parties maintaining a sustained offensive against the central government. Several opposition leaders have intensified their demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. There is also a growing chorus of voices calling for the complete dissolution of the NTA, which has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of the examination process.
Education Minister Reviews Arrangements for Re-Examination
In a parallel development, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan convened a high-level review meeting on Tuesday to assess the preparedness for the upcoming NEET UG re-examination. The rescheduled test is set to be conducted on June 21, following the cancellation of the original exam held on May 3. The initial examination was scrapped on May 11 after the leak controversy came to light.
During the review session, the minister issued firm directives to officials, emphasising the need to comprehensively address all procedural shortcomings that came to the fore during the previous examination cycle. He stressed that the forthcoming test must be conducted with the highest levels of security and transparency, ensuring a glitch-free experience for all candidates. The CBI continues to conduct a thorough and detailed investigation into the entire matter, with more developments anticipated in the coming days.
