Seven months after collecting “evidence” against 20-30 medical students, who allegedly took help from supervisors to cheat in the December 2016 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the investigating officer has received the nod to take legal action against them. The alleged cheating took place at two examination centres in Chandigarh and Greater Noida. NEET held to admit students to postgraduate medical courses.

Police have now started sending the students notices under Section 160 of the CrPC, asking them to join the probe. DCP (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo said they are probing the case and will take action against “beneficiaries”. He, however, refused to divulge further details.

As reported in April, Delhi Police had discovered that computer servers allegedly hacked to help some students cheat in the exam, following which three persons were arrested.

Sources said that weeks after cracking the case and arresting three persons who helped the students cheat — Abhishek Singh, Atul Vats and Hansul — police had identified some “beneficiaries”.

However, they were not able to gather direct evidence against them. Subsequently, the supervisors of the two examination centres  arrested as well.

“After arresting the supervisors and their subordinates, all students who benefited were identified and evidence against them was found. The Investigating Officer, posted with the central range unit of the Delhi Police Crime Branch, sent a request to his seniors in the Delhi Police Headquarters, seeking permission to take legal action against these applicants,” police sources said.

CCTV footage

Among the evidence found by investigators photos of questions sent by the aspirants for outside help. The solved papers then sent back to the centre.

“Police have collected CCTV footage from both examination centres, and have found that some students were using their cell phones in the last 45 minutes of the exam — minutes after they received solved answers,” police sources claimed, adding that some of these students got admission to prominent medical colleges across the country.

“Students have asked to join the probe and they will  confronted with all technical evidence, besides disclosures by the arrested persons,” police sources said.

“The Chandigarh examination centre in-charge Ankur Mishra, who has arrested, hacked the examination server and shared a software with his associates, who also used it to hack the server. The CCTVs at the centres switched off during the hacking,” police said.