NEET Paper Leak Scandal: Claims of Arrests at Congress Office Debunked

In a shocking development, six individuals have been apprehended in connection with the recent National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak case. This article provides an account of the arrests, addresses widespread misinformation, and examines the implications for aspiring medical professionals.

NEET Paper Leak Scandal 2024, The Arrests: Unraveling the Facts

On June 21, 2024, the Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) made a breakthrough in the NEET paper leak investigation by arresting six suspects in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district. However, social media platforms have been inundated with misinformation, necessitating a thorough fact-check.

NEET Paper Leak Scandal, Viral Claim: Accused Arrested from Congress Office

A video circulating on social media claimed that the six accused were arrested from the Congress party’s office in Deoghar. One user wrote: “6 NEET accused were arrested by Bihar Police from Congress office in Deoghar, Jharkhand in #NEETPaperleak case. And Congress was meeting and inciting NEET aspirants by their crocodile tears. Connect the dots.” The archived version of this post is available online for reference.

Fact: Hospital in Patna, Not Congress Office

Thorough investigations have debunked this claim. Here are the key findings:

• Location: The viral video shows the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital in Patna, Bihar, not the Congress office in Deoghar.
• Purpose: The accused were at the hospital for a medical examination after their arrest.
• Timeline: The video was captured after the arrests in Deoghar and subsequent transfer to Patna.

NEET Paper Leak Scandal, Evidences

• ANI’s Post:

News agency ANI shared the video on X on June 23, 2024, with the following caption: “#WATCH | Bihar: 6 accused arrested in connection with UG NEET case being taken from LNJP hospital, Patna after their medical examination. Bihar Police arrested the accused from Jharkhand’s Deoghar on June 21.”

• Visual Confirmation:Images of Patna’s LNJP hospital available on Google Maps match the building seen in the viral video.

■ Also Read: NEET MDS 2024: Key Dates, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, and Counselling Process

NEET Paper Leak Scandal: The Real Location of the Arrests

Contrary to the false claims, the arrests took place at a specific location in Deoghar, far from the local Congress office:

• Arrest Site: 

According to Deoghar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Hrithik Srivastava, the suspects were hiding in a house near AIIMS Deoghar in the city’s Devipur locality.

• Owner’s Identity: 

The house reportedly belongs to an individual named Jhunu Singh (also spelled as Jhunni in some reports).

• FIR Details: 

The official FIR mentions that the accused were caught in Jhunni Singh’s farmhouse, located near AIIMS Deoghar.

• Distance: 

The arrest location is approximately 12.5 kilometers away from the Congress office in Deoghar, which is situated at Bajrangi Chowk.

• Google Maps: 

AIIMS Deoghar is around 12.5 km from the Congress office in Deoghar, located at Bajrangi Chowk.

The Accused: Identities and Origins

The six individuals arrested in connection with the NEET paper leak case have been identified as:

1. Paramjit Singh

2. Baldev Kumar

3. Prashant Kumar

4. Ajit Kumar

5. Rajiv Kumar

6. Panku Kumar

All six accused are reportedly residents of Bihar’s Nalanda district, adding an interstate dimension to the investigation.

NEET Paper Leak Scandal: Denials and Clarifications

Several key figures have come forward to deny the false allegations:

• Deoghar District Congress President Prof. Uday Prakash stated to Newschecker.in: “No one has been arrested from the Deoghar Congress office in the NEET case. This is completely false.”

• Jhunni Singh, in an interview with India Today’s Deoghar correspondent Shailendra Mishra, denied any link to the arrests. He claimed to run a small eatery near AIIMS Deoghar and said his name was being falsely used in media reports. Singh added that he has nothing to do with this case and doesn’t belong to any political party.

• A local journalist from Deoghar informed Newschecker.in: “A joint team of Bihar Police and Deoghar Police had arrested about six accused in the NEET case from an under-constructed house near AIIMS Deoghar in Devipur. That house is not the Congress office.”

NEET Paper Leak Scandal: Fact-Checking Process

Multiple fact-checking organizations and news outlets investigated the claims:

1. Keyword Searches: 

Newschecker.in conducted keyword searches for “NEET accused,” “Congress office,” and “Deoghar” but found no credible reports linking the arrests to the Congress office.

2. Local Verification: 

Fact-checkers reached out to local sources, including the Deoghar District Congress President and a local journalist, who both refuted the false claims.

3. Video Analysis:

The viral video was traced back to its original source (ANI) and cross-referenced with Google images of LNJP Hospital in Patna.

4. Google Maps: 

The distance between AIIMS Deoghar and Bajrangi Chowk, as per Google Maps, is 12.7 kilometers.

5. Congress Office Location: 

The address of the Congress’ Deoghar office, as listed on their Facebook page, is “Bajrangi Chowk, Near Axis Bank Deoghar.” The exact location on Google Street View is available online.

NEET Paper Leak Scandal: Additional Information

• The Hindu Report: 

A report by The Hindu, dated June 22, 2024, stated that six people were arrested in the NEET paper leak case from Jharkhand’s Deoghar.

• Times of India Report: 

Quoting Deoghar SDPO Hrithik Srivastava, The Times of India reported that the suspects were hiding allegedly in the house of Jhunu Singh near AIIMS Deoghar in the city’s Devipur locality.

• Name Variations: 

Reports use both names, “Jhunnu” and “Jhunni” for the owner of the house where the arrests took place.

• India Today’s Investigation: 

India Today couldn’t independently verify any political affiliations of Jhunni Singh.

NEET Paper Leak Scandal: Implications and Unanswered Questions

This high-profile case has raised serious concerns about the integrity of one of India’s most crucial medical entrance examinations. As the investigation progresses, several questions remain:

1. How widespread is the paper leak network?
2. What measures will be implemented to prevent future security breaches?
3. How will this incident impact the aspirations of honest NEET candidates?
4. Are there any political connections to the case, despite the debunked Congress office claim?

Conclusion

The NEET paper leak scandal and the subsequent spread of misinformation underscore the pressing need for integrity and truth in both education and information dissemination. In these challenging times, turning to sources of wisdom and spirituality can offer valuable guidance.

Books like “Gyan Ganga” and “Way of Living” by Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj provide profound insights into living a life rooted in ethical values and spiritual understanding. These works encourage readers to seek deeper knowledge and embrace principles of honesty and righteousness. By drawing on such teachings, individuals can navigate complex situations with clarity and contribute positively to society.

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