NEET scam accused gets bail after claiming 'mistaken identity' led to his arrest

The CBI had arrested the accused Gunde on June 26 from Dehradun.

This case was initially registered by the Latur Police at Shivaji Nagar Police Station. Later on, the FIR was taken over by the CBI.

Special CBI judge Ankit Singla granted bail to Gangadhar Gunde after hearing arguments of counsel for CBI and the accused.

He has been granted bail on furnishing a bail bond of ₹ 25,000 and a surety bond of the same amount.

Advocate Kailash More counsel for Gangadhar Rangnath Gunde argued that Gunde had been arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Dehradun due to mistaken identity. He is not the actual man for whom CBI was looking for.

It was submitted that an FIR was lodged by the CBI about the NEET UG exam 2024 against a person whose name is also Gangadhar but the full name was not revealed. N Gangadhar Appa Nanjuthappa was arrested by the CBI later on.

Advocate More also submitted that Gangadhar Gunde's name surfaced during the investigation as he met one Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav on October 2.

Gunde met him in Osmanabad about his daughter's matrimonial dispute at her in-law's house. There Gunde and Jadhav exchanged their mobile numbers. Gunde made a call to Jadhav on October 3, the bail plea stated.

On the other hand, the counsel for the CBI disputed the submissions of the defence counsel. She argued that one suspect Irenna Konagalwar is on the run and only knows who is actual Gangadhar agency was looking for. So as far now, it can't be said with surety that the present accused is not the same Gangadhar agency was looking for.

Relying upon the statement of arrested teachers Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Umar Khan Pathan, CBI submitted that Konagalwar knew Gangadhar.

CBI counsel also submitted that Gangadhar has been arrested in the initial FIR registered on June 23, 2024. His name surfaced during the interrogation of Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Umar Khan Pathan, the FIR named the accused persons.

Counsel for CBI submitted in the court that Gandhar has been arrested on the basis of complaint given by the Inspector ATS Maharashtra police against four persons including Gangadhar.

On Thursday, the CB arrested the alleged mastermind of the Bihar NEET-UG case, Rakesh Ranjan alias Rocky, from Patna.

Following his arrest, the CBI conducted searches at multiple locations in Patna and Kolkata, recovering several incriminating documents.

A local court has granted the CBI 10-day custody of Rocky for interrogation.

Sources revealed that Rocky, earlier, who ran a hotel in Ranchi, Jharkhand, was responsible for leaking the NEET-UG question paper.

He allegedly sent the leaked paper to an associate named Chintu, who further distributed and printed it with answers for students.

Rocky is also the nephew of Sanjeev Mukhia, another accused in the case.