Maharashtra: A new twist has come to theongoing NEET Exam controversy probe after four individuals, including two district council teachers from Latur, a person from Degloor (Nanded), and another from Delhi, have been charged in the NEET paper leak case. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted NEET, and the leak has caused widespread commotion across the country. The case has seen involvement from national investigation agencies in states like Bihar, Punjab, Gujarat and Haryana. In Maharashtra, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has been assisting with information verification.
According to a report by Lokmat, the incident led to the summoning of two district council teachers for questioning on Saturday, who were later released. However, senior police officers reported finding hall tickets and financial transaction references on the accused's mobile phones. Based on this information, a case was registered late Sunday night against the two teachers and two others from Nanded and Delhi.
Case Filed By Central Govt
The case was filed under the new paper leak law by the central government. According to ATS police sub-inspector Avez Qazi, the individuals involved include Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav (40, Latur), Jalil Khan Umar Khan Pathan (34, Latur), Eranna Mashnaji Konalwar (Degloor, Nanded; currently residing in ITI Umerga, Dharashiv), and Gangadhar from Delhi.
One of the accused teachers provided a video statement clarifying that the ATS had questioned them at the police superintendent's office and then released them. However, late-night case registration suggests further investigations will uncover more details.
The paper leak has affected over 2.3 million students nationwide who took the NEET exam. Despite the results being announced, the integrity of the exam remains in question, leaving students and parents in a state of confusion. The ongoing revelations in the investigation have only added to the anxiety.
Details On The Probe
In the complaint, police sub-inspector Avez Qazi alleged that Sanjay Jadhav and Jalil Khan Pathan were running a racket to pass exams in exchange for money. On this basis, ATS officer Sunil Naik and his team conducted a covert operation in Latur. During the initial questioning, the two teachers voluntarily presented themselves. However, they failed to satisfactorily explain the information found on their mobile phones, including exam admit cards and WhatsApp chats.
The investigation revealed that Jalil Khan Pathan sent exam-related documents and financial messages to Sanjay Jadhav. Jadhav, in turn, forwarded students' admit cards via WhatsApp to Eranna Konalwar, who then contacted Gangadhar in Delhi. Gangadhar is suspected of facilitating misconduct in the NEET exam in exchange for money, as stated in the complaint.
