Thiruvananthapuram, May 13: The investigation into the NEET question paper leak has now reached Kerala. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the potential involvement of students from two districts in the state.
Investigators suspect that a ‘model question paper,’ allegedly derived from the leaked NEET paper, reached several students in Kerala just days before the exam. This connection to Kerala emerged when the Rajasthan police provided the CBI with details of nearly 200 students who reportedly received the leaked paper.
Among these students, some are linked to Kerala, while investigators are also examining the role of a medical student from Churu, Rajasthan, who is currently studying in Kerala. Authorities believe this student played a crucial role in distributing the paper among students taking the exam in Kerala.
The CBI has expanded its investigation to cover ten states, forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that includes four different units. These teams are working to uncover the entire network behind one of the largest entrance exam scams in recent years.
Initial findings suggest that the leak did not occur during the transportation of question papers, as seen in previous scandals. Instead, it originated directly from a printing press in Nashik, Maharashtra, where this year’s NEET paper was printed.
Investigators allege that a medical student named Shubham Karniyar obtained the original paper from the printing press and distributed it through intermediaries in Haryana. From there, the paper allegedly reached the masterminds operating their racket from Sikar. To avoid suspicion, the leaked original paper was reportedly disguised as a model question paper.
Subsequently, it was disseminated to students through a network spanning states like Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar. Investigators found that the model paper contained 90 biology questions and 35 out of 45 chemistry questions that matched the actual exam paper exactly.
According to officials, these papers were sold for prices ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹2 lakh via platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. This incident has unveiled a highly organized inter-state examination racket that was active across multiple states.
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