Amid the controversy surrounding irregularities in the NEET-UG examination 2024 that has gripped the country's attention, the Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh police informed on Sunday (June 23) that the six arrests made in connection with the leaking of the examination papers for the posts of review officers and assistant review officers made some stark revelations, which include that the question paper of the said examination was leaked in two ways.
The STF, in a detailed statement released, informed that the interrogation of the arrested accused opens up the strings related to the alleged crime, which primarily highlighted that the examination paper was leaked in two ways.
First, the question paper was leaked mere hours before the commencement of the examination on the same day at around 6:30 a.m. The STF informed that Kamlesh Kumar Pal, alias KK, Dr. Sharad Singh Patel, Saurabh Shukla, Arun Singh, and Arpit Vineet Yashwant, who looks after the examination work of Bishop Johnson Girls School and College Prayagraj, leaked the papers with the help of mobile phones by scanning it. All five have already been arrested and were sent to jail in this connection, the STF added.
Further, the second way in which the said question paper was leaked was from the printing press. The STF, elaborating on the details revealed by the accused, informed that Sunil Raghuvanshi, an employee of the press, was involved in this.
The STF informed that on February 3, Raghuvanshi was present in the press on the pretext of repairing the machine, brought the question paper without anyone's notice, and further took it to his house and kept it there. Later, he informed Vishal Dubey about this, who in turn told Rajiv Nayan Mishra, alias Rahul, and Subhash Prakash.
The four jointly decided that on February 8, they would gather at the Komal Hotel with the candidates and solvers. The question paper will be solved by the solvers in the hotel itself, and the candidates will be made to read it. Rs 12 lakh had been fixed from each candidate by Rajiv Nayan Mishra, alias Rahul, and his gang members, they said.
On February 8, as per the pre-planned plan, Vishal Dubey first reached Komal Hotel along with Sandeep Pandey. After this, Sunil Raghuvanshi reached there after getting 06-06 photocopies of the question paper, they added.
Here is a list of arrested people:
Significantly, in a statement released on Sunday regarding the latest crackdown in the case, the STF informed that those arrested included Sunil Raghuvanshi, a resident of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and a printing press worker; Subhash Prakash, a resident of Madhubani in Bihar; Vishal Dubey and Sandeep Pandey (residents of Prayagraj); Amarjeet Sharma, a resident of Gaya (Bihar); and Vivek Upadhyay, a resident of Ballia. Further, a laptop, six mobile phones, and five blank checks were also seized from them at the time of the arrest, the STF added.
Chief Minister directed that exam be conducted again within six months
It is pertinent to note that the exam, conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), was held in February this year across the state; however, it was immediately cancelled in March owing to the reports circulating about the paper leaks.
In the wake of the cancellation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath then directed that the exam be conducted again within six months.
The case history
Moreover, it is important to note that the six arrests made on Sunday have been added to the list of earlier ten detainees held in connection with the case registered involving various sections of the IPC.
A case under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (punishment for forgery), 467 (forgery for valuable security, will, etc.), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 34 (common intention), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offense or giving false information to a screen offender) of the IPC have been lodged at the Civil Lines police station in Prayagraj.
Charges under the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination Act, 1998, and the Information Technology Act have also been slapped on the arrested accused, police said.
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