- The NEET-UG paper leak was planned in Nashik and executed in Rajasthan's Sikar coaching hub
- Leaked papers were shared using Telegram, WhatsApp, and a shadow server
- A network called Private Mafia with 400 members was allegedly involved
Initial investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak scandal has revealed an elaborate conspiracy, which was hatched in Maharashtra's Nashik and fully operationalised in Rajasthan's Sikar, a major hub of coaching institutes. The medical entrance test's question papers were leaked using sophisticated technology, including portable scanners, a complex Telegram network and a shadow server.
The first digital copy of the leaked question paper was prepared in Nashik, sources said, adding that later a copy was printed in the local press. From Nashik, the leaker questions reached Haryana's Gurugram, from where it was transported to Jaipur and then Sikar.
From Sikar, the leaked papers were sent to Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Kerala.
How Criminals Used Technology
The NEET question papers weren't scanned through mobile cameras to avoid detection, the sources said. Criminals used high-definition portable scanners and then distributed the scanned copies through instant-messaging mobile applications like Telegram and WhatsApp.
The agencies are also probing a network called Private Mafia, which has around 400 members. The group's description says it was only meant to share leaked papers.
Also read: NEET-UG Paper Leak Turns Into New Battlefield For Opposition And Centre
A shadow server in Nashik, which was based on a leased line of a small IT startup, was also used to hide data transfer, said the sources.
Investigators suspect that an employee of a private courier company may have helped the criminals get access to the storage trunks of question papers for 30 minutes.
The Guess Papers
The leaked question papers were distributed in the guise of "guess papers".
Some coaching centres could also be a part of the larger conspiracy. According to the sources, some Sikar's coaching institutes made some select students prepare for NEET using the "guess papers".
While some NEET aspirants received PDF copies of the leaked papers, some were given physical copies.
The authorities found that all 90 questions of the NEET biology question papers matched those of the "guess papers". In chemistry, 35 of 46 questions matched. In some questions, not even the language and punctuation were different.
15 Arrested In Rajasthan
Rajasthan's Special Operations Group (SOG) has arrested 15 people so far, including Manish Yadav and Rakesh Mandwaria.
Rakesh Mandwaria is suspected of being linked with a consultancy centre in Sikar.
The Nashik Crime Branch arrested a man named Shubham Khairnar, a BAMS student.
Also read: 95-100% Similarity In 'Guess Paper' Questions Compared To NEET Paper: Sources
CBI Takes Over Probe
The Rajasthan SOG has handed over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). All 15 accused will be handed over to the central agency.
The NEET-UG, which took place on May 3, was cancelled by the National Testing Agency after it received a host of complaints of irregularities in the conduct of the exam. The pre-medical test will be reorganised on a later date.