An alarming case of cheating in the NEET exam has emerged from a center in Godhra, Panchmahal district, resulting in an FIR against three individuals. The District Education Officer filed a complaint against Tushar Bhatt, a teacher at Jai Jalaram School in Godhra, Parshuram Rai, owner of Rai Overseas Company in Vadodara, and Arif Vora of Godhra. Tushar Bhatt has been suspended pending further investigation.

District Collector Ashish Kumar received information regarding irregularities during the NEET exam held on May 5. Following this, an investigation was launched by the District Additional Collector and the District Education Officer.

The investigation team discovered Rs 7 lakh in cash in the car of the Deputy Center Superintendent. Additionally, WhatsApp chats on the Deputy Center Superintendent's phone revealed plans to make six students cheat after the exam, demanding Rs 10 lakh from each student.

Senior police officials have initiated an investigation after the complaint was registered at Godhra police station. Panchmahal District Education Officer Kirit Patel stated that the accused conspired to manipulate OMR sheets for six candidates after the NEET exam, with an agreement to extort Rs 10 lakh from each candidate, of which Rs 7 lakh has been recovered so far.

The fraud came to light on May 5 when the Education Department received information about cheating by Tushar Bhatt in the NEET examination at Jai Jalaram School. Upon investigation, WhatsApp messages between Tushar Bhatt and Parashuram Rai were discovered, detailing a scheme involving 11 candidates. The investigation has revealed Parshuram Rai's involvement in the cheating scandal.

New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight life convicts in 2002 Godhra train burning case in Gujarat, but declined bail to four others noting their roles in the case.

In February 2002, 59 people were killed when a coach of the train was burnt at Gujarat's Godhra, triggering riots in the state.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha that he has some issues with the bail application of four accused, because of their roles in the train burning case. The accused have undergone imprisonment for nearly 17 years.

Opposing bail for four accused, Mehta said from one of them an iron pipe was recovered and from another accused a weapon was recovered, which is a sickle mounted on a stick. Mehta continued that another accused purchased, stored, and carried petrol which was used for burning the coach and the last accused attacked the passengers and looted them.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, on behalf of the petitioners, suggested that the court could adjourn the hearing on the bail applications of the four convicts, whose bail was opposed by Mehta, and grant bail to other convicts.

Hegde continued that he made this suggestion specifically because there is a festival on Saturday and urged the bench to hear the bail applications of the four convicts after two weeks, saying that submissions were to be made on behalf of them.

Another senior counsel also urged the bench not to dismiss the bail plea of four accused and adjourn the hearing on their bail applications. Mehta pressed that the court should dismiss the bail applications of the four convicts and added that the court may leave it open for them to revive these applications after a year or so.

After hearing submissions, the bench granted bail to eight convicts and rejected bail for four convicts. Concluding the hearing, the bench, for eight petitioners whom it granted bail, said: "We direct that they be released on bail subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the sessions court..." On the last date of hearing, the top court had rejected bail to two convicts in the case.

The Gujarat government had moved the apex court challenging the commutation of death penalty into life imprisonment for 11 convicts.

The apex court was informed that several accused in the matter have challenged the high court order upholding their convictions in the case.

On December 15 last year, the Supreme Court granted bail to one of the accused in the 2002 Godhra train burning which was followed by communal riots in Gujarat.

In January this year, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the state government on the bail pleas of Abdul Raheman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.

New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Gujarat government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it will press for the death penalty to 11 convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case, as it was a 'rarest of the rare and grave offence." The death penalty of these 11 convicts was commuted to life imprisonment by the Gujarat High Court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud that state is seriously pressing for death penalty for the convicts, which the Gujarat High Court commuted to life imprisonment.

Mehta said, "This is the rarest of rare cases where 59 people, including women and children, were burnt alive," and added that it is consistent everywhere that the bogey was locked from outside and 59 died.

In February 2002, 59 people were killed when a coach of the train was burnt at Gujarat's Godhra, triggering riots in the state.

The bench, comprising justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, queried Mehta, "will they be entitled to premature release (as per the Gujarat government policy)."

Mehta said not in this case, as TADA was invoked and stressed it is "rarest of rare case, grave offence". Mehta was assisted by advocate Swati Ghildiyal, standing counsel for Gujarat.

The top court asked counsel for both sides to submit a consolidated chart giving details such as actual sentences awarded to the convicts and the period spent in jail till now.

After hearing arguments, the bench fixed the bail pleas of several accused in the case for hearing after three weeks.

During the hearing, Mehta informed the bench that 11 convicts were sentenced to death by the trial court and 20 others granted life term in the case. He further added that the high court upheld total 31 convictions in the case and commuted the death penalties of the 11 convicts to life term.

The Gujarat government had moved the apex court challenging the commutation of death penalty into life imprisonment for 11 convicts.

The apex court was informed that several accused in the matter have challenged the high court order upholding their convictions in the case.

On December 15 last year, the Supreme Court granted bail to one of the accused in the 2002 Godhra train burning, which was followed by communal riots in Gujarat.

Last month, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the state government on the bail pleas of Abdul Raheman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.