NEET Paper Leak Probe: CBI Finds No Wrongdoing by Student, Bombay High Court Orders Result Release
Nagpur: A Chandrapur student whose NEET-UG result had been withheld during the investigation into the alleged paper leak has finally received relief, after the CBI found no evidence linking him to any wrongdoing.
The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to release the NEET-UG result of Atharva Donadkar, allowing him to move forward with the medical admission process.
Atharva had appeared for the NEET-UG examination on May 3 and later took the re-test conducted on June 21. However, his result was withheld after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided his residence on May 15 as part of its investigation into the NEET paper leak case.
Study Material Seized During CBI Raid
During the search, investigators reportedly recovered study material and a question paper carrying a roll number different from Atharva’s.
The recovery raised suspicion during the wider paper leak investigation, prompting the National Testing Agency to issue a show-cause notice to the student on July 15.
Atharva responded to the notice two days later, explaining that the material recovered from his residence consisted of mock question papers supplied by his coaching institute for practice.
He maintained that the papers were not leaked NEET examination papers and that he had no involvement in any examination-related malpractice.
CBI Finds No Evidence Against Student
As the investigation progressed, the CBI found no evidence connecting Atharva to the alleged NEET paper leak or any other wrongdoing.
Despite this, his examination result remained withheld for an extended period.
The delay created a serious problem for the student because he was unable to participate in the state’s first centralised admission round for medical courses.
With his future hanging in the balance, Atharva approached the Bombay High Court seeking directions for the release of his result.
High Court Steps In
A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Rajnish Vyas heard the matter before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court.
The court took note of the CBI’s position that there was no evidence linking the student to any wrongdoing.
The bench subsequently directed the NTA to declare Atharva’s NEET-UG result.
The order provides the student an opportunity to continue with the admission process after his result was kept on hold during the investigation.
Relief for Student and Family
For Atharva and his family, the court’s intervention comes as a major relief.
The student had been caught up in the wider NEET paper leak investigation even though the material found at his home, according to his explanation, was merely practice material provided by his coaching institute.
With the CBI finding no evidence against him, the court’s direction clears the way for his result to be released.
The case also highlights the difficulties students can face when their examination results are withheld during investigations, particularly when admission deadlines are approaching.
While authorities must investigate suspected irregularities in competitive examinations, students who are ultimately found to have no connection with wrongdoing can face significant academic consequences if their results remain delayed.
In Atharva’s case, the High Court’s order now allows the examination process to move forward and gives him a chance to pursue his medical education without the uncertainty that had surrounded his NEET result.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
