Patna: The NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case moved to the trial stage nearly two-and-a-half years after the examination with a special CBI court in Patna framing charges against 52 accused on Thursday. Special Judge Mohammad Rustam of CBI Court-II directed the prosecution to begin producing witnesses and documentary evidence from Oct 1.The CBI had filed a chargesheet against 54 accused, but proceedings against two were separated. The agency also did not chargesheet Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya alias Lutan after failing to find evidence against him. Special Public Prosecutor Satyajit appeared for the CBI.The case came to light on May 5, 2024, when Shastrinagar police in Patna received information about a suspected paper leak network. Police intercepted a car carrying Sikandar Yadavendu, Akhilesh Kumar and Bittu Kumar and recovered photocopies of admit cards of several examinees and two mobile phones from Yadavendu.During questioning, investigators learnt about the alleged supply of question papers to candidates. Police then detained a candidate at DAV School, Punaichak, who said the paper had been provided to him at Learn Boys School and Learn Play School in Ramkrishna Nagar.The investigation also traced the alleged leak to the Oasis School examination centre in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. According to the report, the paper was taken from the centre’s strongroom around 8.02am on the examination day. A person allegedly broke open several layers of trunk packaging, photographed the question paper on a mobile phone, resealed the packaging and left with it.Among those facing trial are Oasis School principal Dr Ehsanul Haque, vice-principal Imtiyaz Alam and Yadavendu. The CBI will begin presenting witnesses and evidence before the special court from Oct 1.
