New Delhi: A special court on Friday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) extended custody of two accused in the alleged NEET-UG 2025 score manipulation case until June 16, allowing more time to probe what investigators called a “larger conspiracy.”
Sandeep Shah and Salim Patel, arrested on June 10, are accused of taking bribes to influence National Testing Agency (NTA) officials and manipulate exam results. The CBI told the court that Shah allegedly promised parents he could increase their children’s NEET scores for Rs 87.5 lakh per candidate, assuring admissions in government medical colleges.
Prosecutor Mayank Singh revealed that Patel had already accepted Rs 32.5 lakh from one aspirant and Rs 75 lakh via hawala transactions from three others. Investigators said Shah even escorted a candidate to Noida as part of the alleged scheme.
The agency sought further custody, citing the need to analyze extensive digital evidence, including WhatsApp chats spanning 1,600 pages that reportedly contain names of candidates whose marks were to be altered. Mobile phones seized from the accused also contained NEET hall tickets and other incriminating documents.
Defense lawyers Sujit More and Rakesh Singh opposed the plea, arguing that since the phones were already in CBI’s possession, no further recovery was needed. They requested judicial custody instead.
However, the court observed significant progress in the probe and emphasized the seriousness of the case, noting that police custody remained necessary to confront the accused with evidence and uncover the full extent of the alleged racket.
The case has reignited concerns over the integrity of competitive exams in India, with the court underscoring the need for a thorough investigation given the potential ramifications on medical admissions.
