New Delhi, June 14:The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two men from Maharashtra for allegedly duping NEET UG 2025 aspirants and their families by promising to manipulate exam scores in exchange for hefty payments. The accused, Sandeep Shah from Solapur and Salim Patel from Navi Mumbai, claimed they had inside access to officials at the National Testing Agency (NTA) a claim later proven false.
According to CBI officials, the duo demanded up to ₹90 lakh per candidate, later reducing the amount to ₹87.5 lakh during negotiations. Their target: desperate parents hoping to secure high ranks for their children in the competitive medical entrance exam.
Shah reportedly met parents privately at the luxury ITC Grand Central hotel in Mumbai’s Parel area. During these meetings, he assured families that he could inflate candidates’ NEET scores and promised they would receive the revised results six hours before the official announcement.
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Investigations revealed Shah was in constant contact with Patel, who runs an education consultancy in Navi Mumbai. They were also working with a third suspect, currently on the run, believed to be the mastermind behind the scam. Another consultant from Pune is also under scrutiny for possible involvement.
Forensic analysis of the accused’s mobile phones uncovered incriminating evidence, including chat records, roll numbers, admit cards, OMR sheets of candidates, and details of payments made through illegal Hawala channels.
Join NEET News 2025 A CBI spokesperson confirmed that both Shah and Patel were presented before a special court, which remanded them to CBI custody until June 16. The spokesperson emphasized that no government officials or NTA staff were found to be involved.
“The accused misled parents by falsely claiming connections within the NTA. There is no evidence linking any NTA personnel to this scam,” the spokesperson added.
Authorities believe the suspects exploited the anxiety of NEET aspirants and their families by fabricating ties to exam authorities and creating an elaborate web of lies to support their fraudulent scheme.
