New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against 13 accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case before the Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital.
The charge sheet is scheduled to come up before the special fast-track court constituted to hear the paper leak case on Wednesday.
The charge sheet was filed by the CBI’s Economic Offences Division.
The case was registered under Sections 315(5), 318(4), 61(2), 238 and 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988; and Section 10 read with Sections 3, 4, 5 and 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
The accused — Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Shubham Khairnar, Dhananjay Lokhande, Prahalad Kulkarni, Tejas Harshad Kumar, Dr. Manoj Shirure, Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, Manisha Waghmare, Manisha Mandhare and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar — are currently in judicial custody.
The CBI has kept the investigation open to examine the alleged role of National Testing Agency (NTA) officials. Recently, 47 NTA officials were suspended.
An FIR was registered on May 12 based on a complaint filed by a government official under various provisions of the BNS, the Prevention of Corruption Act and laws related to the use of unfair means in public examinations.
According to the CBI, Mangilal Biwal contacted Shubham Khairnar to obtain the NEET-UG question paper for his son, Vikas Biwal. Investigators said the leaked question paper was recovered from Mangilal Biwal’s mobile phone.
The agency alleged that Mangilal Biwal received the leaked NEET-UG paper from Yash Yadav in a deal worth Rs. 10 lakh. During questioning, Vikas Biwal told investigators that he came into contact with Yash Yadav while attending coaching classes in Sikar, Rajasthan.
The CBI further alleged that Mangilal Biwal contacted Shubham Khairnar to procure the question paper for his son, following which a larger network involving several other accused was established.
According to the investigation, Shubham Khairnar first leaked the paper to Yash Yadav, who then passed it to Mangilal Biwal, followed by Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal.
The agency also alleged that Mangilal Biwal subsequently sold the leaked question paper to multiple candidates for Rs. 12 lakh.
Earlier, the court had permitted accused Yash Yadav to appear for the NEET-UG examination held on June 21 and to attend his sister’s wedding on June 22 while remaining in judicial custody. (ANI)
About The Author
