New Delhi: A special court in Delhi has extended the judicial custody of five accused persons in the NEET-UG paper leak case till June 15, after hearing an application filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The agency, which is probing alleged irregularities in the examination process, has so far arrested 13 people in connection with the case.
CBI Seeks More Time for Investigation
During the proceedings, the court accepted the CBI’s request to extend the custody of five accused who had been arrested from Rajasthan, Haryana and Maharashtra. They had earlier been sent to judicial custody till June 2 and were produced before the court after the expiry of that remand period.
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The investigating agency sought further custody as part of its ongoing probe into the alleged paper leak and related examination irregularities. According to sources associated with the investigation, the accused are suspected to have links with activities connected to the purported leakage of examination papers and attempts to compromise the integrity of the test.
Investigators are examining digital evidence, financial transactions, communication records and the alleged network of individuals involved in the case.
Accused Allowed Study Material
A notable issue during the hearing was a request made on behalf of one of the accused, seeking permission to keep study material for the rescheduled NEET examination. The court accepted the plea and allowed the accused to access books and educational material required for exam preparation.
The order has drawn attention because the re-examination is scheduled for June 21, and thousands of candidates are preparing for the test amid heightened scrutiny of the examination process.
The latest custody order came a day after three other accused in the case, including a physics lecturer, a paediatrician and a physics teacher, were sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
Re-Examination Scheduled for June 21
The NEET-UG controversy gained national attention after allegations surfaced over the integrity and fairness of the examination. Following the allegations, the National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3.
Authorities later decided to conduct a fresh examination, which is scheduled for June 21. The cancellation had created uncertainty among lakhs of students and parents awaiting admission-related outcomes.
Since taking over the probe, the CBI has carried out searches, interrogations and technical analysis across multiple locations. The agency is examining electronic devices, call records, digital communications, financial transactions and documents to establish the sequence of events linked to the alleged leak.
The investigation remains underway, with further action possible as new material is examined. For now, the focus remains on both the court proceedings and the upcoming re-examination, as students prepare for the June 21 test under close public scrutiny.
