Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Video showing accused in NEET paper leak case arrested from Congress’ Deoghar office.
Fact
No evidence to suggest that the accused were arrested from the party’s office. Video shows a hospital in Patna.
From grace marks to alleged paper leak, the medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024 has been marred by multiple controversies prompting widespread protests by aspirants and the opposition. The Congress, too, organised multiple protests over the alleged irregularities in the examination conducted by the NTA, and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Now, several social media users, including verified handles, are sharing a video purportedly showing the accused in the NEET paper leak case and claiming that they were arrested from the Congress party’s office in Jharkhand’s Deoghar. Newschecker, however, found the claim to be untrue.
Newschecker received the claim on our WhatsApp tipline (+91-9999499044) requesting to be fact checked.
Sharing over a-minute-long-video, multiple X and Facebook users alleged that six accused in the NEET paper leak case, who were hiding at the Congress’ Deoghar office, were arrested by the police.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
A keyword search for “NEET accused,” “Congress office” and “Deoghar” on Google did not yield any credible report stating that any person was arrested by the party’s office in connection to the medical entrance examination.
We, however, did find a report by The Hindu, dated June 22, 2024, stating that six people were arrested in the NEET paper leak case from Jharkhand’s Deoghar. “Deoghar Police said five Nalanda residents Paramjit Singh, Baldev Kumar, Prashant Kumar, Ajit Kumar, Rajiv Kumar, and one Panku Kumar, were arrested from a house near AIIMS-Deoghar,” added the report.
“Deoghar SDPO Hrithik Srivastava said the suspects had been hiding allegedly in the house of one Jhunu Singh in Devipur locality ever since Bihar Police exposed the widespread cheating on May 5. The EOU picked them up from the “safe house” near AIIMS Deoghar and brought them to Patna on transit remand,” reported Times of India. Adding that all the six accused were the residents of Bihar’s Nalanda district.
Furthermore, the address of the Congress’ Deoghar office, as listed on their Facebook page, is “Bajrangi Chowk, Near Axis Bank Deoghar.” The exact location on Google Street View can be seen here.
The distance between AIIMS Deoghar and Bajrangi Chowk, as per Google Maps, is 12.7 kilometres.
Deoghar Congress & Police Deny Claim
Newschecker reached out to Deoghar Sadar SDPO Ritvik Srivastava who refuted the claim, saying, “six people who were detained from Deoghar in the NEET paper leak, all of them were arrested from a house near AIIMS in Devipur area. This claim that all were arrested from the Deoghar Congress office is completely false”
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Deoghar District Congress President Prof. Uday Prakash also dismissed the claim. “No one has been arrested from the Deoghar Congress office in the NEET case. This is completely false,” he told us.
We also reached out to a local journalist from Deoghar who informed us, “A joint team of Bihar Police and Deoghar Police had arrested about six accused in the NEET case from an under-constructed house near AIIMS Deoghar in Devipur. That house is not the Congress office.”
What About The Video Then?
On carefully analysing the viral footage, we noticed the watermark of news agency ANI on the top right corner. Furthermore, we heard a man saying “…देवघर…पटना लाया गया था (Deoghar…were brought to Patna)” towards the end of the video.
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “Deoghar,” “Patna” and “NEET” on the official YouTube channel of ANI, which led us to a video report from June 24, 2024. Carrying a shorter version of the viral video, it stated, “ 6 accused arrested in connection with UG NEET case, being taken from LNJP hospital, Patna after their medical examination. “
The Google images of the LNJP Hospital also feature a building identical to the one seen in the viral footage. Thereby confirming that it shows a hospital in Patna, where the NEET paper leak accused were brought for medical examination, and not the Congress’ Deoghar office.
Also Read: Viral Video Of Sonakshi Sinha In Black Lehenga Is Not From Her Wedding Festivities
Conclusion
Hence, the viral post claiming that accused in the NEET paper leak case were arrested from Congress’ Deoghar office is fabricated. Additionally, the viral video actually features a hospital in Patna, and not any party office.
Result: False
Sources
Report By The Hindu, Dated June 22, 2024
Report By Times of India, Dated June 23, 2024
Google Maps
Telephonic Conversation With Deoghar Sadar SDPO Ritvik Srivastava
Telephonic Conversation With Deoghar District Congress President Prof. Uday Prakash
YouTube Video By ANI, Dated June 24, 2024
Google images
(With reporting inputs from Runjay Kumar)
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
