NEET-UG paper leak: CBI arrests RIMS Ranchi student

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken into custody an MBBS student of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi concerning the NEET-UG paper leak case, ANI reported.

The report, citing CBI sources, said Surbhi Kumar, a student of RIMS Ranchi, allegedly solved question papers for the candidates.

She has been sent to CBI custody for three days, the report added.

"The student belonged to the 2023 batch, which is a first-year student, and she is now under the custody of CBI. They initially approached the administration for some initial information from the student and yesterday they again approached for further investigation in the same and then they proceeded with the custody of the student," ANI quoted Rajiv Ranjan, the RIMS Public Relations Official as saying.

"The CBI had approached us for further information in this case. The administration will give full support and whatever information is needed will be given to them whenever they approach but till now after the custody, there is no such thing...," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, four MBBS students from AIIMS Patna were arrested and remanded in CBI custody in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. The group — identified as Karan Jain, Kumar Sanu, Rahul Anand and Chandan Singh — had allegedly solved papers for the main accused, Pankaj Singh.

AIIMS officials worked with the CBI to seal their rooms a day earlier. All the accused in the case have been sent to four days of CBI custody.

The development came two days after the CBI arrested two more people in connection with the case. The arrested persons were identified as Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya — a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology in Jamshedpur and Raju Singh. Pankaj had allegedly stolen the NEET-UG paper from the NTA trunk in Hazaribagh.

The NEET-UG exam, held on May 5, 2024, has been mired in controversy, with allegations of cheating and impersonation.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the exam, has faced severe criticism, leading to protests and legal actions. The Union Health Ministry has postponed the NEET-PG 2024 examination, with new dates to be announced soon.