New Delhi [India], May 28 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met with the family of NEET aspirant Pradeep Meghwal, who died by suicide, allegedly after the question bank leak of the UG 2026 examination. He accused the Centre of the alleged mismanagement and said that "the Modi-Shah duo is accountable to this family."
In a post on X, Gandhi expressed grief over the aspirant's death and reflected on the loss the family endured. Noting the aspirations, hard work and pressure that an aspirant faces in preparation for the examination, Gandhi attributed Meghwal's death to the "broken, corrupt system."
Asserting that the examination was allegedly handed over to "mafias," the Congress leader accused the Central government of the incident.
"Today, I met the family of the brilliant student Pradeep Meghwal, who was so devastated by the NEET paper leak that he took his own life. Their pain cannot be contained in words. A mother and father have lost their son, and they were guilty of nothing. Millions of children across the country are living under the pressure of studies, competition, and their future. And when a paper leak happens, it's not just one exam that breaks--it's a child's dream, and an entire family that shatters. Pradeep's death was not suicide--it was the consequence of a broken, corrupt system. Those who handed the examination system over to mafias, and who are still clinging to their chairs today--the Modi-Shah duo is accountable to this family," he wrote in the post.
Additionally, the Congress leader also met with some NEET aspirants and reflected on their suffering, stating that the aspirants "no longer have faith in this system." Accusing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of "corruption and indifference," Gandhi affirmed that the youth will play an instrumental role in revolutionising the system in future.
"We no longer have any faith in this system." This is what some NEET aspirants said to me today. Their anger was clearly visible, and the dam of their patience has broken. The youth of the country will no longer tolerate the Modi government's corruption and indifference. And remember - it is this very youth who will change this system," he said.
Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue court granted police custody of Dr Manoj Shirure and Tejas Harshad Kumar Shah to CBI till June 1 in connection with the NEET UG paper leak case.
Earlier, Dr Manoj Shirure, a Latur-based doctor, was arrested for his role in facilitating three students--including the son of an accused coaching centre owner--in obtaining leaked Chemistry questions from accused PV Kulkarni.
The second arrest involves Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a Physics faculty member at the Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy (APMA), a coaching centre in Pune. The statement by CBI noted that he had obtained the leaked Physics questions from another arrested accused, Manisha Havaldar.
Special Judge Vidya Prakash granted five days' police custody of Dr Manoj Shirure and Tejas Harshad Kumar Shah after the CBI sought their custodial interrogation in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the leakage and distribution of the NEET UG examination paper.
Prahalad Kulkarni and Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, who were produced before the court after CBI interrogation, were remanded to judicial custody till June 10. The agency had sought 14 days' judicial custody for both accused.