Mumbai: CBI Arrests Two in NEET Scam for Promising Fake Score Manipulation
Mumbai, 14th June 2025: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two individuals from Maharashtra for allegedly orchestrating a scam that targeted aspirants of the NEET UG 2025 medical entrance exam, promising to manipulate their scores in exchange for hefty payments nearing Rs 90 lakh per candidate.
The accused, identified as Sandeep Shah from Solapur and Salim Patel from Navi Mumbai, were apprehended following a detailed investigation launched after complaints from affected families. According to CBI officials, the duo posed as middlemen claiming to have contacts within the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body responsible for conducting NEET, and lured low-scoring students and their anxious parents with the promise of inflated marks.
CBI sources revealed that Shah met with parents at Mumbai’s luxury ITC Grand Central hotel, initially demanding ₹90 lakh per candidate, later negotiating down to ₹87.5 lakh. He assured parents that their children’s updated scores would be shared with them six hours before the official results were announced, creating a false sense of certainty.
The investigation uncovered that Salim Patel operated an admission consultancy firm in Navi Mumbai, while another associate ran a similar service in Pune. Forensic analysis of seized mobile phones revealed incriminating evidence, including chats with candidate roll numbers, admit cards, OMR sheet details, and records of financial transactions routed through hawala networks.
Shah was arrested in Mumbai on June 9, and Patel was detained the following day in Sangli district. Both were produced before the Special CBI Court in Mumbai, which initially remanded them in police custody until June 13, later extending it to June 16.
The CBI has clarified that no officials from the NTA or any other government body have been found involved in the scam so far. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities also seeking a third suspect believed to be the mastermind behind the operation.
