The Crime-Branch Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) on Tuesday made public the photographs of the suspected impersonators who took up NEET examinations for candidates from the state of Tamil Nadu. A total of 10 photos that included two women has been issued with a request to the public to help identify them and share information on 9443884395 or on depccwcbcid@tn.gov.in.
The NEET impersonation scam in Tamil Nadu came to light in September last year when a medical student from Theni Medical College, KV Udit Surya, came under scrutiny after a mismatch between his appearance in person and his photo on the NEET card. According to the complaint, Surya had failed twice in the NEET. He had cleared the recent exam opting for Mumbai as the exam centre, where a proxy wrote the entrance exam.
Surya and his doctor father Venkatesan, working in the Government Stanley Hospital, went into hiding and were arrested by the Police from Tirupati. The police registered an FIR under Sections 120(B) (Criminal conspiracy), 419 (Cheating by personation) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code. The Theni Police also stated that after questioning the candidate, sections 468 (Forgery) and 471 (Using a forged document) may be added to the FIR.
An agent in Kerala was also arrested for hiring a proxy to write the entrance exam. This case from Theni exposed a major racket in the state following which a series of arrests were made. A total of 14 arrests were made on the whole. It was unearthed that those involved in the scam had paid over Rs 20 lakh to arrange for a proxy.
In October, the Madras High Court ordered that thumbprints of all students admitted to medical colleges in Tamil Nadu be submitted to the CB-CID and be matched with those submitted to the National Testing Agency (NTA).The court granted conditional bail to Udit Surya in addition to two students in October.