PATNA: The Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police has obtained NEET reference question papers to compare these with documents recovered during a search operation last month from a flat here and is also exploring the “possibility of conducting narco analysis and brain mapping tests” of accused in the case, sources said on Saturday.
They also indicated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) might investigate the money laundering aspect of the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination -the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET, conducted by the National Testing Agency in May.
The EOU sleuths discussed certain factual aspects of the case based on their investigation with the senior officials of the Union Education Ministry and other related wings in Delhi on Saturday, sources said.
Bihar Police also detained six people from Jharkhand’s Deoghar district in connection with the case.
The EOU last month arrested 13 people, including prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, in connection with the alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG 2024 exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
“We had requested the NTA for the reference question papers after we began the probe last month. Finally, they did the needful. We will tally these papers with partially burnt papers seized from a Patna flat last month. This exercise is likely to be done before a forensic examination of such documents,” an EOU source said.
The police are also analysing call records of all arrested accused in the case and based on that, more persons will be called for questioning.
“Certain individuals including officials, who are associated with some politicians, will also be called for clarifications,” the source said.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha had on Friday said he would request CM Nitish Kumar to recommend a CBI probe into the suspected links of the prime suspect with officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Responding to this, Yadav said that the BJP’s “links” with two other arrested accused persons also need to be investigated.
Another EOU source said the ED may probe into the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
“The central agency is expected to identify proceeds of crime and initiate proceedings to attach properties belonging to the accused or suspects,” the source said.
Commenting on the development, Abhayanand, former director general of police (DGP), Bihar, told PTI: “There is no doubt that grave offences have been committed in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Prima facie, it appears that the paper was leaked… Evidence collected so far is also suggestive of the paper leak. The case must be probed under the provisions of the PMLA as black money is involved in it.
The EOU has also started investigating the role of some more private professional colleges in Bihar, which allegedly sent solvers on behalf of real candidates in the NEET exam.
Former CBI director Anil Sinha said, “The mushrooming of coaching centres in the country needs to be checked as most of them are run by unscrupulous and financially powerful people… They lack competence and try to manipulate the system by indulging in wrong practices. I must say that a systematic improvement is necessary to stem the rot.”
Anil Sinha, during whose tenure as the CBI head the agency had investigated the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh, welcomed the Centre’s decision to notify a strict law to curb paper leaks and cheating in public examinations.
An EOU source said that the arrested accused in the case are providing conflicting statements or changing their statements during interrogation.
“Officials are contemplating conducting brain mapping and narco-analysis tests. These scientific tests may provide certain fresh leads to investigators,” the source said.
A narco-analysis test involves intravenous administration of a drug that causes the subject to enter into a stage of anaesthesia, during which the person becomes less inhibited and is more likely to divulge information, which would usually not be revealed in the conscious state.
Brain mapping uses neuroscience to determine whether a person has specific knowledge related to a crime. This is done by measuring EEG signals in the brain.
Brain mapping and narco-analysis tests are illegal without the subject’s consent.
A source said it is suspected that solvers associated with private colleges or institutes were allowed to appear on behalf of real candidates in connivance with officials of the examination centres, where the exam was held on May 5.
The sleuths also suspect that officials were bribed so that an “undeserving candidate” could sit strategically next to a “brilliant dummy candidate” who was also paid money.
Search operations were conducted to nab a few suspects in Nalanda district, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Bihar Police detained six people from Jharkhand’s Deoghar district in connection with the case on Friday night.
“The Bihar Police gave us a tip-off. On our identification, they were taken into custody. All the suspects have been taken to Bihar,” SDPO (Deoghar Sadar) Ritvik Srivastava told PTI.
NEET-UG was conducted by the NTA on May 5 with around 24 lakh candidates taking part in it. The results were announced on June 4, but they were followed by allegations of question paper leaks in states such as Bihar, besides other irregularities.
