PATNA: The CBI on Tuesday arrested two more suspects, including a candidate and father of another candidate, from the state capital in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case. The number of arrested persons in the case has gone up to 11.
Sources said that Sunny Kumar, an aspirant from Bihar’s Nalanda district, was arrested by the CBI for his links with a gang involved in NEET-UG paper leak. Sunny had obtained the question paper and answer key hours before the exams on May 5. The probe agency considers his arrest as a significant lead in the case.
Ranjit Kumar, a resident of Gaya district, was also taken into custody for his involvement in the case. Sources said that Ranjit’s son, an aspirant, is still evading arrest. Ranjit is said to have been in constant touch with the gang responsible for the question paper leak. “Ranjit’s son, who is a candidate, will be in the net soon,” said a CBI source.
The first arrests in the case were made by the probe agency from Bihar when Manish Prakash and Ashutosh Kumar were summoned for questioning and were subsequently arrested. They allegedly provided accommodation to the aspirants in the state capital’s Khemnichak locality where they memorised the questions and answers key.
Earlier, a principal and vice-president of a Hazaribagh-based private school were arrested by the agency. Aman Singh along with three others was arrested from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district. The four suspects have been taken on police remand for further questioning, a senior officer said.
Aman and his associates were being questioned for their role in the paper leak case. Sources said the questioning of the four suspects would expose the role of the gang’s kingpin Sanjeev Kumar Singh alias Sanjeev Mukhiya alias Lutan Mukhiya, transaction of money and exact number of candidates in touch with the gang.
The probe agency has intensified its operation to nab Rokey, a key aide of Sanjeev Mukhiya, the alleged mastermind behind the paper leak. Mukhiya’s arrest has been delayed.