Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Tuesday said the buildings owned by those accused in the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak case should be demolished, news agency PTI reported.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, who runs Renukai Chemistry Classes (RCC) in Latur, for his alleged role in the NEET (Undergraduate) paper leak case.
According to officials, 10 accused have so far been arrested in connection with the case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Latur, and Ahilyanagar.
Speaking to reporters, Shirsat pointed to the properties and large-scale advertisements put up by NEET coaching institutes.
“Even the biggest politician cannot afford so many advertisements. But if we go to a small village, we can find advertisements for coaching classes. This money comes from the fees of students. So, merely arresting the accused in the NEET case is not enough now. The wealth of these people should be checked and seized,“ he said.
“The buildings owned by these arrested people should be demolished,” the minister added.
CBI probe reveals aspirants allegedly paid lakhs for sessions linked to leaked NEET-UG paper
When asked about the Opposition`s demand seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Shirsat said it was an internal matter of the Central government.
“Action against the accused is more important. The NEET paper leak is not a small case, and it concerns the future of 22 lakh students. Such cases should not happen henceforth. Taking resignation or not is a matter for the government and the party,“ he added.
Earlier, the CBI had arrested chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni and biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare, who allegedly knew each other through a woman identified as Manisha Waghmare, who is also in the agency’s custody.
Officers said the two lecturers had allegedly roped in Waghmare to bring NEET aspirants for special sessions before the examination.
Students allegedly paid several lakh rupees to attend these sessions, where they wrote down questions in their notebooks that later “tallied exactly” with the actual NEET-UG question paper, officials said.
NEET, conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 overseas centres, was cancelled after information regarding alleged malpractice emerged on the evening of May 7. Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the examination.
A re-test has been scheduled for June 21.
(With PTI inputs)