2 decades on, trial in 2006 Himachal CPMT paper leak case still incomplete

Shimla: At a time when the 2026 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) paper leak scandal has shattered the trust of lakhs of medical aspirants, the trial in Himachal Pradesh's 2006 Combined Pre-Medical Test (CPMT) paper leak case remains pending even after 20 years — stuck at the evidence-recording stage.A Shimla trial court has again ordered day-to-day hearings from June 8 for the examination of prosecution witnesses in a bid to expedite proceedings in one of the oldest pending high-profile criminal cases. The court emphasised the rights of the accused to a speedy trial cannot be compromised indefinitely. Issuing a final warning, the court directed the prosecution to ensure the presence of witnesses without delay. The CPMT examination, then conducted by Himachal Pradesh University, came under scrutiny after candidates alleged touts had offered them question paper by phone for payments of several lakhs of rupees. One of the accused beneficiary candidates was a then cabinet minister's niece. The state police team had also arrested an IAS officer, doctors and even sub-divisional officers whose children were doubtful candidates in the CPMT. The accused also include an IFS officer and his wife. Subsequent investigations revealed that the paper had allegedly been leaked from a printing press in Lucknow, triggering a probe that stretched across several states. Prosecution Failure Expressing concern over the slow pace of the trial, Shimla chief judicial magistrate Sandeep Singh Sihag, during a recent hearing, said despite exceptional opportunity granted, the prosecution has failed to produce all its remaining witnesses. The court pointed out that the prosecution had failed to furnish the correct addresses of several witnesses despite repeated directions from the trial court. The prosecution assured the court that all necessary measures would be taken to locate the remaining witnesses and ensure their attendance through special messengers after verifying their current addresses. High court intervention The CPMT paper leak case first came under judicial scrutiny after a CPMT candidate from Shimla wrote to then Himachal Pradesh High Court chief justice seeking an in-depth probe. Taking cognisance of the letter and media reports, the high court in 2006 constituted a three-member police investigation team comprising O C Thakur, A P Singh and Arvind Digvijay Negi. After the team reported definite evidence of a paper leak, the high court ordered a re-examination, paving the way for one of the state's most significant examination fraud investigations. On April 7, the Supreme Court, while hearing an appeal filed by one of the accused, asked the trial court to expedite the proceedings. BOX OVER 100 ACCUSED FROM MULTIPLE STATES An FIR was registered on July 28, 2006, at Shimla West police station for cheating, impersonation, theft by an employee, abetment and criminal conspiracy The case involves as many as 104 accused from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and other states Some of the accused have alleged involvement in the pre-medical test paper leak case of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, during that period and in other states More than 380 prosecution witnesses were cited during the investigation. All the accused currently facing trial are out on bail Over the years, seven accused persons have died, while five others have been declared proclaimed offenders, and proclamation proceedings initiated against one accused Police had shortlisted nearly 60 doubtful CPMT candidates, but all juveniles were acquitted by the juvenile justice board, Shimla, on Jan 28, 2016 None of the candidates whose selection in this CPMT came under suspicion succeeded in qualifying the subsequent CPMTs, though some of them studied MBBS from Russia. MSID:: 131482438 413 |