CBI Nabs Jharkhand School Principal and Vice-Principal in NEET-UG Paper Leak Scandal
In a significant breakthrough in the NEET-UG paper leak investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two prominent school officials from Jharkhand on June 28, 2024. This action followed the detention of two individuals in Patna just a day earlier, indicating a broader network involved in the scandal.
The CBI apprehended Ahsanul Haque, the principal of Oasis School in Hazaribagh, and Imtiaz Alam, the vice-principal who also coordinated the exam center. The arrests were made late at night, and both individuals were swiftly transported to Patna for further questioning. In addition to these high-profile arrests, the CBI also detained six other individuals from Jharkhand for interrogation, underscoring the extensive nature of the investigation.
Oasis School had been a focal point of the investigation from the outset. The Bihar police had earlier revealed that a partially burned question paper, recovered from a play school in Patna, matched the NEET question paper distributed by the National Testing Agency (NTA). This specific question paper series had been dispatched to the NEET-UG examination center at Oasis School, placing the institution at the center of the controversy.
The investigation gained momentum when the CBI questioned officials from the State Bank of India (SBI) and the courier company responsible for the transportation of the NEET question papers. This line of inquiry aimed to trace the movement of the papers and identify any potential breaches in the security chain.
In a revealing interview with The Hindu, just four days before his arrest, Mr. Haque admitted that there had been a breach in the security protocols for the NEET question papers. He explained that the digital lock, which was supposed to open automatically at 1:15 p.m. on May 5, had malfunctioned. As a result, the outer box containing the question papers was opened using a cutter, and it was discovered that the envelope inside had also been precisely cut open. This admission provided crucial evidence of tampering and pointed to serious lapses in the handling of the examination materials.
Further investigation revealed the involvement of Mr. Alam, the vice-principal. The CBI discovered that the question papers had been transported from the SBI to the school in Mr. Alam’s SUV. This detail added another layer to the investigation, indicating that the breach might have involved multiple individuals within the school. On Thursday, the CBI seized various electronic devices, including a printer from the principal’s office, which could potentially hold key information related to the case.
On the morning of June 28, an eight-member CBI team conducted a thorough interrogation of Mr. Haque and Mr. Alam at Oasis School. The questioning lasted for three hours and was part of a broader effort to unravel the extent of the paper leak scandal and the roles played by different individuals within the institution.
This latest development is a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak scandal. The involvement of high-ranking school officials highlights the severity of the breach and raises serious questions about the security measures in place for handling sensitive examination materials. The CBI’s swift action and comprehensive approach underscore the importance of maintaining the integrity of competitive examinations and the need for stringent security protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.
As the investigation continues, the focus will likely expand to include other potential suspects and any systemic issues that may have contributed to the breach. The arrests of Mr. Haque and Mr. Alam, along with the detention of six others, mark a crucial turning point in the case, bringing authorities closer to understanding the full scope of the scandal and ensuring accountability for those involved. The education community and stakeholders will be closely watching the developments, hoping for a resolution that reinforces the credibility and fairness of the examination process.