The father of Kahaan Patel, a 17-year-old NEET aspirant from Ahmedabad whose death by suicide in June 2026 became one of the most widely discussed tragedies linked to the NEET-UG 2026 controversy, has expressed support for the Centre's proposed amendments to strengthen India's anti-paper leak legislation. Prashantkumar Patel, a criminal lawyer by profession, said speedy investigations, fast-track courts, and tougher punishments are essential to restoring public confidence in the examination system.

What the proposed amendments include

According to draft proposals expected to be tabled in Parliament, the government plans to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act to significantly stiffen penalties for examination fraud. The proposed changes would raise the minimum punishment for paper leak offences from three years to five years, with imprisonment extendable up to 10 years and fines reaching ₹50 lakh.

For organised paper leak syndicates, the minimum sentence is proposed to rise to seven years, with fines of up to ₹10 crore. The amendments also envisage specialised investigative teams, investigation completion within two months, day-to-day fast-track trials concluding within three months of filing chargesheets, and disposal of appeals within a further three months wherever possible.

What Kahaan's father said

'If the government has brought these provisions, then I obviously support them. As a lawyer, whenever the government talks about speeding up judicial proceedings, I am happy. We get exhausted seeing repeated adjournments in court. Clients come with only one hope... that justice should come quickly. If investigations, day-to-day hearings and appeals are completed within fixed timelines, it is a very good step,' Prashantkumar Patel said ahead of the amendments being introduced in Parliament on Monday.

He cautioned, however, that implementation would be the true test. 'These reforms will definitely help. But implementation is equally important. Governments have announced fast-track courts before as well. The real question is whether these timelines will actually be followed at the grassroots level. Still, if the government has accepted that reforms are needed and has brought these amendments, I support them,' he said.

Kahaan Patel's story and the NEET-UG crisis

Kahaan Patel died by suicide on 18 June 2026, weeks after the original NEET-UG examination held on 3 May 2026 was cancelled following nationwide allegations of a paper leak. His father said Kahaan had been confident after the exam, with coaching institute assessments estimating his score at around 649 marks. The announcement of a re-examination left Kahaan deeply distressed, believing months of preparation had been nullified.

'My son became deeply distressed after the government announced the re-test, believing that months of hard work had effectively been nullified,' Patel said. Family members, he added, did not realise the depth of Kahaan's emotional crisis until after his death, when friends and coaching teachers described noticeable changes in his behaviour.

The NEET-UG controversy triggered weeks of protests, parliamentary disruption, legal challenges, and renewed scrutiny of India's examination system. The Centre handed the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and conducted a nationwide re-examination on 21 June 2026 for more than 20 lakh candidates.

Protests, police action, and a ministerial resignation

Following his son's death, Prashantkumar Patel travelled to New Delhi and visited the student protest site at Jantar Mantar twice, where demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanded accountability for the paper leak, the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for families of students who died by suicide, and legal protection for protesters.

'I personally observed demonstrations in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat. I feel the police action (lathi-charge) against the students was unwarranted. Political parties should also not overshadow student-led movements. My son is no longer with us, but these children were fighting for every student. That is why I supported them,' Patel said.

On Saturday, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister, citing moral responsibility for the crisis — one of the principal demands of the protesters. The government subsequently assigned additional charge of the Education Ministry to Pralhad Joshi after prolonged nationwide protests and three rounds of discussions with student representatives.

Patel said the resignation brought a measure of relief. 'It felt like I had finally been able to pay tribute to Kahaan. My son's anger was about accountability. The government accepted responsibility, even if it came late,' he said. He added, however, that accountability must extend beyond resignations alone.

A father's quiet vigil and what comes next

Patel also disclosed that he had privately observed a fast after witnessing students return to Jantar Mantar the same night they faced police action on 20 July 2026, without informing even his family. 'It was something personal. I did not announce it publicly,' he said.

With Parliament set to debate the strengthened anti-paper leak legislation, Patel said he would be watching closely. 'As both a father and a lawyer, I want these provisions to become reality. If investigations become faster, trials become time-bound and organised paper leak networks face stringent punishment, then future students may not have to suffer what Kahaan and thousands of others went through,' he said.