NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of a doctor accused in the NEET paper leak case, news agency PTI reported.Special judge Ajay Gupta rejected the bail plea of paediatrician Dr Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure. A detailed order is awaited.The court also extended the judicial custody of all 13 accused till August 6, PTI reported.During arguments on the bail plea, the CBI claimed that the Latur-based doctor had taken Rs 5 lakh from a candidate’s family and allowed the candidate to access the leaked chemistry paper at his hospital before the examination.The federal agency also told the court that Shirure had referred two other doctors to the alleged kingpin P V Kulkarni, and that the children of these doctors had also allegedly benefited from the paper “leak”.The CBI alleged that Shirure had facilitated co-accused Shivraj Motegaonkar’s son, Aditya Motegaonkar, to access the leaked chemistry paper at his hospital in the third week of April, ahead of the May 3 NEET-UG examination.The agency claimed that the Rs 5 lakh received from the candidate’s family was seized from the house of Shirure’s sister. It further alleged that he had referred two other doctors to Kulkarni, whose children obtained the leaked chemistry paper after paying Rs 3 lakh each.Vehemently opposing the bail plea, the CBI said the probe was at a crucial stage and involved the analysis of digital evidence, financial transactions, call records and the larger conspiracy. It argued that the release of the accused could prejudice the probe and the trial.“The plea of absence of criminal antecedents is not decisive in the facts of the present case for bail. Even a first-time accused may be denied bail where the offence alleged is grave, socially harmful and supported by prima-facie material indicating conscious participation,” the agency had said.The case relates to allegations of a paper leak in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, held on May 3 for medical admissions.On May 12, the National Testing Agency cancelled the examination amid allegations of a paper leak. A re-examination was subsequently held on June 21, PTI reported.(With agency inpus)
