An anonymous tip-off to Patna police on May 5, just hours before the NEET-UG exam, about “four suspected criminals in an SUV headed to a safe house” exposed a nationwide fraud network, plunging the medical entrance test into controversy and creating uncertainty for lakhs of aspirants. Acting on this tip, a team from Patna’s Shastri Nagar police station intercepted four suspects who then led them to a meeting place in Ram Krishna Nagar. There, around 30 NEET-UG candidates had allegedly gathered to memorize leaked questions and answers. Authorities have since identified dozens of medical aspirants and their “handlers.”
Police Interception and Discovery
The Shastri Nagar police team intercepted the four suspects, who directed them to a location in Ram Krishna Nagar where about 30 NEET-UG candidates had allegedly gathered. These candidates reportedly paid Rs 30-50 lakh each for leaked exam questions and answers, according to a TOI report. Amar Kumar, SHO of Shastri Nagar police station, noted, “The tip-off turned out to be precise – just that we didn’t expect it would lead to a Pandora’s box linked to NEET-UG. We worked hard on the case and pieced together each clue.”
Network Spread Across States
The network was found to be extensive, spanning various states. A top source from the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) stated, “It’s a deep-rooted network spread across states. We will need time to rein in all the culprits.”
Role of the Suspects
The four arrested individuals were tasked with helping students memorize answers and transporting them to exam centers. Further raids and arrests followed the initial intercept, where police discovered 13 roll numbers at the safe house. Multiple teams were dispatched to NEET exam centers, resulting in the detention of four aspirants and the identification of nine additional suspects, including Sikandar Yadavendu, a junior engineer in Danapur municipal council. Yadavendu allegedly supplied the question papers and answers on May 4 for memorization. On May 6, police recovered burnt question papers from Yadavendu’s flat.
Confessions and Key Arrests
Yadavendu, along with Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand, confessed to leaking the exam papers. Police arrested 13 people, including parents of some aspirants, on May 7, and the case was handed over to the EOU on May 11, with DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon leading the probe. Investigations revealed the involvement of coaching institutes, teachers, and students in the racket. One arrested student, a 19-year-old from Danapur and Yadavendu’s nephew, confessed to receiving identical questions a day before the exam for a fee of Rs 30-40 lakh.
Ongoing Investigation
Since the initial tip-off, police have arrested coaching institute owners, teachers, and some students involved in the racket. They seized incriminating documents, electronic devices, and a significant amount of cash during the raids. “Photocopies of the question papers were given to the candidates and they were told to memorize the answers. The duplicate question papers were collected later in the morning and burnt,” one official said. The investigation, now led by DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon, continues to uncover the full extent of the fraud.
