Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha has linked an aide of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav to one of the accused in the alleged NEET question paper leak case, seeking clarification from the opposition leader.
At a press conference on Thursday, Sinha claimed that Tejashwi Yadav’s personal secretary, Pritam Kumar, had called a guest house worker of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to book a room for Sikander Kumar Yadavendu, one of the accused in the NEET paper leak case.
“On May 1, Pritam Kumar called guest house worker Pradip Kumar to book a room for Sikander Kumar Yadavendu, who was jailed in Ranchi. On May 4, Pritam Kumar called Pradip Kumar again to book the room in the NHAI guest house. The word ‘Mantri’ (Minister) was used for Tejashwi Yadav,” Sinha said.
The Deputy CM sought clarification from Tejashwi Yadav regarding whether Pritam Kumar is still his personal secretary and who Sikander Yadavendu is. “Tejashwi Yadav should clarify if Pritam Kumar is still his PS and he should also clarify who is Sikander Kumar Yadavendu,” Sinha said.
Sinha further alleged that when Lalu Prasad Yadav, the RJD chief and Tejashwi’s father, was jailed in Ranchi, Sikander Kumar Yadavendu, a former junior engineer in the irrigation department, used to be at his service. “They play with the future of the people. They do scams when they are in power and they try to influence the appointment process,” he added.
Meanwhile, the guest house worker Pradip Kumar confirmed receiving calls from Pritam Kumar to book a room for Sikander Kumar on May 1 and May 4, stating, “I asked for a requisition, on which he said that it would be given by them.”
The Patna police have arrested several people, including some NEET candidates, in connection with the alleged paper leak case. Four accused, including Anurag Yadav, a NEET candidate, his uncle Sikandar Yadavendu, and two others, Nitish Kumar and Anand, have been identified.
The confessions were taken under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Earlier, the Supreme Court on Thursday issued a notice on a plea filed by the NTA seeking the transfer of petitions relating to the NEET-UG, 2024 examination from the High Court to the apex court.
A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath has also stayed proceedings before different High Courts. The apex court reiterated that it would not stop the counseling process.
(Inputs from ANI)