High Court seeks to know the status of probe in 2016 NEET illegalities

Justice S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also asked the Delhi Police about the difficulties they were facing in investigating the offence, so that it can issue direction to the authorities concerned.

The bench observed that it would not order a court- monitored CBI or SIT probe into the alleged illegalities.

"The court does not want to monitor the investigation," it said, adding that the Delhi Police was highly equipped with all kinds of experts and techniques and should be capable of probing the issue.

"In case they (police) need any direction, the court can issue the same," it said and asked the police to file a status report regarding the steps taken to probe the matter so far.

It listed the matter for further hearing on December 13.

During the hearing, the police informed the court that they have arrested eight persons and filed a charge sheet.

The submissions were made on the plea of Dr Anand Rai, who claims to be the whistleblower in the Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh, seeking a court-monitored SIT/CBI probe.

The court had issued notice to the CBI, National Board of Examination (NBE), Medical Council of India and M/s Prometrics Pvt Ltd, which had sub-contracted with CMS IT Services Private Ltd to hire engineers, site supervisors and other staff to prepare exam labs for conducting the NEET PG examination at 43 centres across India.

It had expressed concern over the delay in concluding the probe and asked the authorities to file their response.

An FIR was lodged on February 1 against 11 persons and charge sheet was filed on July 9 this year under various sections of the IPC including 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and under the Information and Technology Act.

The court's directions came on the plea of Dr Anand Rai, who claimed to be the whistleblower in the Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh, seeking a court-monitored SIT/CBI probe.

The plea sought transfer of investigation from the crime branch to Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising members having expertise in computer science and/or an investigation by the CBI or any other competent central agency.

It has also sought direction to the NBE to initiate appropriate proceedings against the candidates whose names have been disclosed in the charge sheet for allegedly securing admissions in NEET-PG, 2017 using unfair or fraudulent means.