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NEET row: 2 teachers detained in Maharashtra's Latur in paper leak case, says report
After Bihar, the NEET paper leak investigation reached Maharashtra, where two teachers were detained by the ATS.
After NEET-UG paper leak allegations surfaced in Bihar, the authorities have now expanded their probe to Maharashtra where two teachers were detained in Latur, reported NDTV, citing sources.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on late Saturday detained two teachers from Latur. They were questioned over the NEET paper case.
The two teachers have been identified as Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Umarkhan Pathan, who teach at a government-run school in Latur. The two run a private coaching in the district. They were detained on the suspicion of being involved in the paper leak case.
They were released by the cops after several hours of questioning and will be called in again if needed, NDTV reported. This came shortly after the NEET paper leak probe was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as the government vowed to protect the interest of the students.
The alleged irregularities in the conduct and marking system of the NEET-UG examination sparked a nationwide outrage. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns.
In Bihar, allegations of cheating and paper leak surfaced, with the BJP-JDU government in the state pointing a finger at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in the case.
Student bodies and doctors' associations also slammed the Centre after the health ministry cancelled the NEET-PG examination on late Saturday, hours before it was supposed to be conducted.
The Education Ministry formed a seven member panel to review the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA). The Centre also shunted out NTA Director General Subodh Singh after handing over the NEET probe to CBI.
The 7-member committee, led by ISRO former chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, will submit its report to the ministry in the next two months.
Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a statement: “We stand for transparent, tamper-free and zero error examination. A panel has been formed on exam reforms, strict action has been taken against officials and the case has been handed over to the CBI.”
