Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Sinha, has implicated Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition, in the NEET paper leak scandal. Sinha revealed that Tejashwi Yadav’s personal secretary, Pritam Kumar, made phone calls to arrange accommodations in Patna for the alleged mastermind of the leak, Sikandar Yadavendu. The Economic Offences Unit discovered evidence of the leak on May 4, just one day before the NEET exam on May 5. In response, Sinha, who also serves as the Minister of Road Construction, ordered an investigation into the booking of a guest house owned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
During a press conference in Patna, Sinha presented details of phone records showing that on May 1, Pritam Kumar contacted a guest house employee named Pradip Kumar to book a room for Sikandar Yadavendu. Further calls were made on May 4, reiterating the booking. Sinha highlighted that the term ‘mantri’ (minister) was used in these conversations, allegedly referring to Tejashwi Yadav. Sinha pointed out that Sikandar Yadavendu is closely related to Tejashwi’s secretary, Pritam Kumar. Additionally, the NHAI guest house was reserved for Sikandar’s sister, Reena Yadav, and his son, Anurag Yadav, on May 4. Notably, a phone and the term ‘Mantri Ji’ were recorded in the guest house’s diary, prompting investigators to determine the identity of this ‘Mantri Ji’.
The allegations have added a significant political dimension to the NEET paper leak controversy, with Deputy CM Vijay Sinha directly accusing Tejashwi Yadav of being involved in the scandal.
The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has uncovered evidence of a leak involving the NEET 2024 question paper. The exam, scheduled for May 5, had its questions leaked a day earlier on May 4. Sikandar Yadavendu, identified as the alleged mastermind, has been arrested. According to the EOU, Sikandar provided the question paper in advance to help his brother-in-law’s son and several other candidates memorize the answers.
On May 5, the police arrested Reena Yadav at the NHAI guest house, where they discovered an OMR sheet. The guest house register contained entries with the names of Reena’s son, Anurag, and ‘Mantri Ji.’ Sikandar, a resident of Samastipur, had previously worked as a contractor in Ranchi before becoming a junior engineer in 2012. He had also been implicated in a Rs 3 crore LED scam and served a prison sentence.
