‘No urgency’ to implead CBI, ED in NEET paper leak case, SC tells petitioners

The Supreme Court on Monday said there is “no urgency” to issue notice in a plea to implead the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the NEET-UG 2024 irregularities case pending in the apex court.

A Vacation Bench headed by Justice A.S. Oka did not entertain an oral mentioning by advocate Mathews Nedumpara to issue notice to the CBI and ED.

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Mr. Nedumpara, representing petitioner-students led by Shivangi Mishra, had approached the Supreme Court against the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the undergraduate National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024 exam.

The oral mentioning came on an application filed by Ms. Mishra arguing that the ED was “duty bound to take cognisance of, investigate and secure punishment” to accused persons behind the question paper leaks.

The application has also urged the Supreme Court to implead the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED in the apex court.

The petitioners said investigation should also proceed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

“The Enforcement Directorate is duty bound to take cognisance of, investigate and secure punishment. The NEET Exam, which now has undoubtedly been exposed to be a scam, has its tentacles in different parts 3 of the country… Until and unless the Enforcement Directorate takes cognisance of the matter or the Supreme Court directs the Enforcement Directorate to take action, the accused will not be brought under the stringent provisions of the PMLA,” the application has noted.

The application has been filed in the apex court even as the Centre informed the transfer of the NEET case to the CBI on Saturday. It has sought expedited probe and filing of an interim report on the Bihar arrests ahead of the commencement of the counselling process on July 6.

The petitioners have also called for the cancellation of the entire examination.

“The consequence arising out of the question paper leak which the Patna Police has now unearthed leaves the authorities with no option than to cancel the entire examination and conduct it afresh in the most foolproof manner. The mafia that has been in the business of procuring the question paper and selling the same to medical students for lakhs of rupees, an extremely profitable venture, could manage do so for quite some time with impunity in collusion with those in charge of the conduct of the examinations, has now been fully exposed,” the application has said.

The application alleged that the “culprits have even given confessional statements detailing who all they sold the papers to, for what price, and the manner in which the money was transferred”.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the case for detailed hearing on July 8.