'NEET' paper leak case: Renowned paediatrician from Latur, Dr Manoj Shirure arrested !

Allegation of purchasing a question paper from Prof. Shivraj Motegaonkar for his own son!
First arrest of a parent !

Latur – A parent’s direct involvement in the ‘NEET’ paper leak case has come to light and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Dr Manoj Shirure, a renowned paediatrician from Latur. He is accused of buying a question paper from the prime accused, Prof. Shivraj Motegaonkar, in order to obtain an unauthorized advantage in the examination for his son.This is the first time that a parent has been arrested in this case.

Dr Manoj Shirure is the director of the ‘Siddhivinayak Children’s Hospital’ in Juna Ausa Road area of Latur. The CBI team has camped in Latur since May 17th and is interrogating the suspects thoroughly. The CBI officials raided Dr Shirure’s hospital and conducted a four-and-a-half-hour investigation. Some important documents, suspicious mobile phone hand sets and digital evidence have been seized during this operation. After preliminary investigation, it has come to light that Dr Shirure has direct links with both the accused – the prime accused Prof. Shivraj Motegaonkar and P V Kulkarni.

There was no fixed price for these question papers. Depending on the financial status of the parents, deals were struck for amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Initially, only a token amount was taken. After the answer sheets arrived, there was an agreement that the remaining amount would be paid only if the questions were correct. To guarantee the remaining amount, blank cheques and original educational documents of the students were pledged by the parents.

The mastermind of this case and the director of the RCC coaching classes in Latur, Prof. Shivraj Motegaonkar, was in the process of building a big school and college on 8 acres of land in Khopegaon Shivar, Latur, using this black money. The work of a multi-storeyed building was also going on rapidly there. The CBI is now investigating his source of funds and land purchase transactions. As part of this action, the Pune Municipal Corporation has closed down Prof. Motegaonkar’s ‘RCC’ classes.

Interrogation of two students from Ambajogai

The ‘Rouse Avenue’ Court in Delhi has remanded the accused in this case, Mangilal Khatik, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Yash Yadav and Dhananjay Lokhande, in judicial custody till June second, while the CBI custody of Shubham Khairnar has been extended by 5 days. On the other hand, the interrogation of 2 students from Ambajogai is underway and their mobile phones have been seized, while Manisha Mandhare, Manisha Waghmare and Dhananjay Lokhande are being brought to Pune for face-to-face questioning. Some other parents who were involved in financial transactions worth crores of rupees have also been summoned for questioning at the Pune CBI office.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reviewed the preparation for the upcoming NEET exam. He has ordered strict legal action against those spreading rumours and misleading claims regarding the paper leak on social media and Telegram channel.