‘Mistaken Identity’ Led To CBI Arrest: NEET Case Accused's Claim Fetch Him Bail

New Delhi: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday granted bail to one of the accused, linked to a NEET paper leak scam case in Maharashtra’s Latur, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Gangadhar Gunde was granted bail by the court after his counsel claimed that Gunde was wrongly arrested by the CBI due to mistaken identity in the NEET paper leak case linked to Latur. Notably, the accused was arrested by the probe agency on June 26 from Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.

Special CBI Judge Ankit Singla granted bail to Gangadhar Gunde, on furnishing of a bail bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety bond of the same amount, after hearing arguments of counsel for the CBI and the accused. Notably, the case was initially registered by the Latur police at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station and was later taken over by the CBI.

Accused Arrested Due to Mistaken Identity: Defence Counsel

During the hearing, 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 and he was not the man the CBI was looking for. It was also submitted that an FIR was lodged by the agency 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.

The CBI had lodged the case against unknown persons, following which accused N Gangadhar Appa Nanjuthappa was arrested in Bengaluru during the probe.

Gangadhar’s counsel, also submitted before the court that Gangadhar Gunde's name surfaced during the investigation as he met one Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav on October 2.

It was being claimed that Gunde met Jadhav in Osmanabad during his daughter's matrimonial dispute at her in-law's house, where they both exchanged their mobile numbers. After their meeting, Gunde made a call to Jadhav on October 3, the bail plea stated.

Uncertainty Over Identity: CBI 

Meanwhile, contradicting the submission made by Advocate More, the counsel for the CBI disputed it, arguing that one suspect Irenna Konagalwar is on the run and only knows who the actual Gangadhar agency was looking for. Putting forth the uncertainty over the identity, the counsel mentioned that it can't be said with certainty that the present accused is not the same Gangadhar for whom the 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. She further pointed out that they have arrested another accused N GangadharAppa Nanjuthappa. It was also submitted that the mobile number CBI had was being used by Gunde. Jadhav and Gunde had a conversation.

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 based on a complaint given by the Inspector ATS Maharashtra police against four persons including Gangadhar. The Complaint had his name and his number and he is Delhi Delhi-based person.

Accused Phone's CDR Is Being Awaited

Another man N Gangadhar Nanjuthappa also has been arrested.

One accused namely Irenna Konagalwar is on the run, only he can identify who is real Gangadhar, the agency looking for, CBI counsel submitted.

It was also submitted that Gangadhar's phone CDR is also awaited.

While referring to the conspiracy aspects the CBI counsel submitted that Jadhav and Pathan were contacting and collecting initial token money and admit cards from the NEET Aspirants. They were sending the same to Irenna Konagalwar who in turn gave it to Gangadhar who lives in Delhi to get their marks increased.

It is also submitted that Gunde was arrested on the intervening night of June 25 and 26 in Dehradun in one of the five cases registered by the CBI. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court on June 27 and was remanded to CBI custody till June 30. Thereafter he was sent to judicial custody on July 12.