NEET row: BJP alleges RJD leader Tejashwi has links with paper leak accused

A political slugfest has broken out in Bihar over the NEET controversy with the BJP accusing RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav of having links with one of the accused in the exam paper leak case.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the leaking of examination papers for NEET-UG 2024. They are Anurag Yadav, a NEET aspirant, his uncle, Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, and two others named Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand, from whom Yadavendu is said to have bought the examination paper for his nephew. Sikandar has confessed before police that he obtained the question papers from Nitish and Amit and gave them to his nephew and three other aspirants.

Accused linked to Tejashwi?

Addressing the press on Thursday (June 20), Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha hinted that Tejashwi may have a role in the entire scam as Sikandar is a relative of Tejashwi’s aide Pritam Yadav.

He said Pritam had also booked a room for Sikandar at a guesthouse of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for his sister and her son, Anurag days before the examination. He said a ‘mantri’s’ (minister’s) name was also mentioned in the diary, hinting at Tejashwi’s involvement in the case.

“Sikandar Yadav is a close relative of Tejashwi Yadav’s PA Pritam Kumar. NHAI guesthouse was booked for Sikandar’s sister, Reena, and her son, Anurag for May 4. A phone number and a minister’s name were mentioned in the diary…” he said.

“Tejashwi Yadav should clarify if Pritam Kumar is still his personal secretary and he should also clarify who is Sikander Kumar Yadavendu. When Lalu Prasad Yadav was jailed in Ranchi, Sikander Kumar Yadavendu used to be at Lalu's service... He was a junior engineer in the irrigation department... They play with the future of the people. They do scams when they are in power and they try to influence the appointment process..," he said.

Sinha demands high level inquiry

Sinha said that Pritam had called an employee of the Bihar Road Construction Department to book a room for Sikandar at the guest house on May 1, four days before the NEET exam.

Sikandar, an engineer, has said that he recommended the stay of his nephew Anurag, his mother and other accomplices in a government bungalow in Patna.

Stating that there are records of calls between Pritam and Pradeep to corroborate the communication, Sinha said a high-level inquiry should be made into the matter.

“I demand a high level inquiry into this matter,” he said.

Three employees of the Road Construction Department including Pradeep have been suspended.

In a statement, the Bihar NHAI, however, has said that accused did not stay in its guesthouse, and said that it does not have any guest house facility in Patna.

Confessions of accused

In his confession, Sikandar has said that Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand sold the NEET question papers to him for ₹32 lakh. They were part of a racket which claimed of being ‘specialists’ in leaking examination papers including that of NEET, and UPSC, he said.

Sikandar also confessed to having provided logistical help to the three other candidates Ayush Raj, Shivanandan Kumar, and Abhishek Kumar besides his nephew.

In his confession letter Anurag also confirmed that the questions he received at the exam halls matched with the leaked question paper that was given to him. The other aspirants have made the same confession.

Anurag had told the police that he and the other three candidates received the question paper from his uncle a day before the examination and had memorised the answers.

The confessions and the arrests come amid allegations of a possible paper leak and malpractices in the NEET exams this year – a charge that the National Testing Agency and the central government have been denying so far.