In Massive Row, Bihar Deputy CM Links Tejashwi Aide To NEET-UG 2024 Paper Leak Accused, RJD Hits Back

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav’s name has emerged in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate 2024 (NEET-UG 2024) paper leak case with the state government questioning his secretary’s role in the case. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha has claimed that Yadav’s personal secretary Pritam Kumar had booked a room for Sikander Yadavendu, the person named by one of the aspirants who confessed to cheating in the exam.

“On May 1, Tejashwi Yadav’s personal secretary Pritam Kumar called guesthouse worker Pradip Kumar to book a room for Sikander Kumar Yadavendu. On May 4, Pritam Kumar called Pradip Kumar again for booking the room. The word ‘mantri’ was used for Tejashwi Yadav,” Sinha sad on Thursday.

He also said that Yadavendu was at RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s service when the latter was jailed in Ranchi. “Tejashwi Yadav should clarify if Pritam Kumar is still his PS and he should also clarify who is Sikander Kumar Yadavendu. When Lalu Prasad Yadav was jailed in Ranchi, Sikander Kumar Yadavendu used to be at Lalu’s service… He was a JE in the irrigation department… They play with the future of the people. They do scams when they are in power and they try to influence the appointment process,” Sinha added.

Adding to his claims, guesthouse worker Pradip Kumar said, “Pritam called me and asked me to book a room for Sikander Kumar on May 1 and then again on May 4. I asked for a requisition, on which he said that it would be given by them.”

On the other hand, the RJD has blamed the BJP and the JDU for the NEET paper mess. “NEET test exposes BJP and JDU connections! The NEET paper was leaked in the three states governed by BJP, Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana. The involvement of BJP leaders came to light in all three places. The Union Education Minister is constantly saying that no paper has been leaked anywhere, while the opposition and lakhs of candidates are constantly saying that paper leak has happened,” RJD tweeted.

The BJP hit back, with party leader Amit Malviya saying, “The corrupt have been nabbed and action is being taken. No wonder I.N.D.I Alliance refused to accept defeat just because they wanted to hide the paper leak episode.”

Meanwhile, the NHAI has clarified that they do not have any guesthouse in Patna. “Some sections of the press have reported that the accused related to NEET paper leak case stayed at NHAI guest house in Patna. NHAI would like to clarify that NHAI does not have any guest house facility in Patna. Media is, accordingly, requested to take note of the same and correct the erroneous report if already released,” the National Highways Authority of India said in its statement.

Confessions in the NEET Paper Leak Case

This came after an aspirant from Bihar admitted to receiving the leaked question paper through his uncle, a Junior Engineer. In his confession letter, Anurag Yadav (22), a resident of Bihar’s Samastipur, said his uncle Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, an engineer deployed at Bihar’s Danapur Town Council (Danapur Nagar Parishad), asked him to return from Kota in Rajasthan, saying all arrangements for the exam had been done.

Yadav said he received the NEET exam question paper and answer sheet on May 4, a day before the exam, and was made to memorize the answers.

“I returned from Kota and was taken to Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar by my uncle on the night of 04.05.24, where I was given the NEET exam question paper and answer sheet, which I was made to study and memorize overnight,” he said.

The NEET aspirant further said when he sat to write the exam, the actual question paper, matched with the one his uncle provided.

Yadavendu, who has been named by Yadav, also confessed to the police saying he took Rs 40 lakh each from four aspirants in exchange for the leaked paper.