NEET-UG row: Tejashwi Yadav breaks silence on allegations of aide's involvement

PATNA: Coming down heavily on Bihar deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised him for linking one of his aides to the alleged paper leaks and malpractices surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 examination.

Tejashwi Yadav while interacting with reporters, said, "The INDIA alliance is united on this issue. We want the NEET exam to be immediately cancelled.The BJP has all the investigation agencies. They can call the PS or PA anyone for probe. They want to divert the issue from the kingpin. Those who want to drag my name or my PA's name, this will not benefit anyone. The engineer who is talked about could be a beneficiary but Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar are the masterminds of the paper leak. The people of the country know that whenever BJP comes to power, then paper leaks happen."
Yadav emphasized the unity of the INDIA alliance in demanding the cancellation of the NEET exam and accused the BJP of attempting to divert attention from the main culprits behind the alleged paper leak.
On Thursday, Vijay Kumar Sinha, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, claimed during a press conference that the prime suspect arrested in the NEET "paper leak" case had connections to officials linked to Tejashwi Yadav. Sinha claimed that the official maintained regular contact with Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, the prime accused in the case, and arranged accommodations for him at guest houses in Patna and other locations.
The RJD dismissed these allegations as a "bundle of lies" intended to shift focus from the demand to cancel the May 5 exam.
Sinha further said that there are reports indicating the accused's association with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav during his judicial custody in Ranchi. He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the matter and questioned Tejashwi Prasad's silence on the issue.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Bihar Police had arrested 13 individuals last month as part of their investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak. The arrested individuals included examinees, their parents, and the alleged mastermind, Sikander Prasad Yadvendu. Sinha accused RJD leaders of engaging in corrupt practices, citing reports suggesting the accused's association with Lalu Prasad Yadav during his judicial custody in Ranchi.