JEE examination scam: State 'topper', father & 3 others arrested by Assam Police

GUWAHATI: The Azara Police, on Wednesday evening, arrested five persons in connection with the recent JEE (Main) examination scam in Guwahati. All of them besides 20 others were grilled by the police during the day. Police sources informed that more arrests are likely to take place.

Among the arrested persons are Neel Nakshatra Das, who topped the State list using a proxy candidate and also his father — Dr Jyotirmoy Das. The Police also arrested Hemendra Nath Sarma and Pranjal Kalita — two employees of the 'Tata Consultancy Services' that conducted the examination as well as Hiru Kamal Pathak – the invigilator of the examination held at the 'Ion Digital Zone' at Borjhar here on September 5.

Police sources informed that Hiru Kamal Pathak helped Neel to come out of the examination centre after the candidate registered his biometric sample.

The arrests have been made following allegations and also evidence of an audio clip that he did not physically appear in the examination centre at the Ion Digital Zone.

Mentionably, the JEE Main results indicates that Neel has secured All India Rank (AIR). With 99.8 percentages, he is also the State topper.

The twist in the case, however, is that reportedly the candidate himself revealed in the audio clip that somebody else had appeared in the examination in his place. Following this revelation in the social media, an FIR was lodged in the Azara Police Station by Mitradev Sarmah, who also provided electronic evidence against the accused student.

The FIR said, "The student also revealed in the electronic evidence that an educational centre from the city helped him in this entire process. The candidate mentioned the name of this private coaching centre as 'Global Edu Light' which is located at GNB Road, Ambari.

"The candidate also confessed that his father had paid approximately Rs 15 to 20 lakhs for the purpose. Both the parents of the candidate are doctors."

The FIR mentions the accused candidate's parents as Dr Jyotirmoy Das, gynaecologist and Dr Lakshmi Das, anesthesiologist. Both work in two private city hospitals.

The complainant further suggested in the FIR that the matter should be brought to "the notice of the National Testing Agency (NTA) – the body responsible for the conducting the JEE (Main) examination." He also submitted copy of the FIR to the NTA and the Crime Branch of Guwahati Police.

Meanwhile, a case 624/2020 u/s 120b/419/420/406 IPC, r/w sections 66 (D) of IT Act has been registered in this regard.

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