CBI Arrests Two in NEET-UG 2025 Exam Scam; Allegedly Took Up to Rs 90 Lakh Per Student
Mumbai, 14th June 2025: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two individuals for allegedly duping NEET-UG aspirants and their parents by promising inflated scores in exchange for large sums of money. The accused claimed to have connections with officials at the National Testing Agency (NTA), thereby winning the trust of unsuspecting families. The arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into a larger scam targeting NEET candidates.
According to the CBI, the arrested individuals have been identified as Sandeep Shah from Solapur and Salim Patel, a director of an educational consultancy firm in Navi Mumbai. Shah was arrested in Mumbai on June 9, while Patel was apprehended from Sangli on June 10.
The CBI had registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy on June 9 after receiving credible inputs about a racket involving inflated NEET-UG 2025 scores. During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused promised higher marks to students who had performed poorly in the examination. In return, they allegedly extorted large sums of money from their parents.
The accused allegedly met several parents in a five-star hotel in Mumbai’s Parel area to project credibility and influence. CBI sources revealed that Sandeep Shah had demanded ₹90 lakh per student, although in at least one case, he settled for ₹87.5 lakh after negotiations. The accused assured parents that they would receive the updated, inflated scores six hours before the official results were released.
Sandeep Shah was reportedly in regular contact with Salim Patel, and had also established links with another consultancy firm based in Pune. Forensic examination of mobile devices seized from the accused revealed crucial evidence, including a list of prospective candidates, roll numbers, admit cards, OMR sheets, and financial transactions routed through hawala channels.
Both accused were produced before the court, which has remanded them to CBI custody until June 16. While the investigation has not yet found evidence implicating any NTA or government officials, the CBI has stated that it is actively analyzing call records, financial transactions, and tracking down all parents and students involved in the scam.
