"Big shocker": Delhi court on NEET UG paper leak chargesheet, witness names being revealed in media

A Delhi court on Wednesday expressed shock over the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the NEET UG paper leak case getting leaked to the media and the names of witnesses, some of whom are minors, allegedly being revealed.

Special Judge Ajay Gupta of the fast-track court established at Rouse Avenue Court said that "something needs to be done in this regard".

"Jo cheezein discuss hi nhi hui jo cheezein sirf chargesheet ka part hain wo ek tareek se technically you can say is under scrutiny. It’s a big shocker for me, you know? Something has to be done in this regard. (For things that have not been discussed but are part of the chargesheet, you can say they are under scrutiny. It’s a big shocker for me, you know? Something has to be done in this regard.),” the Court remarked.

The Court said that it is the responsibility of all the stakeholders, including the media, that the trial is not prejudiced.

"Main to ek baat keh raha hu open court me...dekho media ki bhi ek zimmedari banti hai. Hamari sab ki zimmedari banti hai trial jis tareeke se criminal law me likha hai waise honi chahiye. Koi bhi prejudice nhi hona chahiye. To main to sab logo se kahunga ki agar aesi reporting hai to, they should not do such things (I am saying this in open court...see, media also has a responsibility. It is the responsibility of all of us that the trial should proceed in the manner in which it is mandated under criminal law. No one should be prejudiced. So, I will say this all of you: if there is any such reporting, it should not be done.)," the Court added.

The Court made the remarks after the prosecutor appearing for the CBI flagged that names of witnesses, some of whom are minor, were reported in the media.

Counsel appearing for the defendants also said that this may prejudice their case and that the media had chargesheet copies before it was filed in court.

The Court said that it will examine the reports and see what needs to be done.

The CBI has filed a nearly 20,000-page chargesheet in the NEET UG paper leak case. It names 13 persons as accused.

In the chargesheet, the agency has stated that 3 subject experts leaked the NEET exam questions from the National Testing Agency (NTA) office in Delhi through different methods. The Court has been told that the accused were able to do it because they were not frisked while exiting the confidential section.

Judge Ajay Gupta today also took cognisance of the CBI's chargesheet and said that he will start hearing arguments on framing of charges from August 13.