CB-CID to probe NEET mark scandal

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday ordered a CB-CID probe into the allegations of tampering of mark sheets/ answer sheets in NEET exams, wherein a student — as per the answer sheet posted on the website on October 15, 2020 — had obtained 594 marks, while two days later it showed 248 marks.

Justice B Pugalendhi, before whom the plea moved by student KS Manoj from Coimbatore came for hearing, directed the CB-CID to constitute a special team comprising cyber security experts and conduct a preliminary probe into the allegations without registering any case.

Noting that the further course of action will be decided if a prima facie case is made out, the court directed the special team to file a report in three months and posted the case to June 6.

The student, in his plea, on citing the change in marks he had scored in just two days, alleged that his answer sheet had been tampered with and two different marks were found for his single answer sheet.

According to the petitioner, as per the answer sheet downloaded from the official NEET website on October 15, 2020 his marks was 594. But as per the answer sheet made available on October 17,

2020 his mark was 248.

Additional solicitor general R Sankaranarayanan while suggesting the appointment of the National Information Commission (NIC) to probe the episode, conceded that in this case there were signatures of two separate invigilators and that requires a thorough investigation in the case.