AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, 23 July 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led central government, alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) deliberately delayed filing a chargesheet in the 2024 NEET paper leak case, enabling the accused to secure automatic bail within three months, and has now granted him a clean chit.

Context

Kejriwal posted in Hindi: 'लीजिए। मोदी जी की पूरी पोल खुल गई।' ('There you have it. Modi ji has been completely exposed.'). He alleged that the individual whom the government had publicly described as the 'mastermind' of the 2024 NEET paper leak was first arrested with fanfare, then quietly handed automatic bail after the CBI allegedly missed the statutory chargesheet deadline, and has now received what Kejriwal called a 'clean chit' from the agency. He concluded: 'आपकी नीयत में खोट है' — 'Your intentions are corrupt.'

Policy Backdrop

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is India's single national-level entrance examination for medical admissions, implemented fully from 2016 following Supreme Court directions, replacing a patchwork of state-level tests. The 2024 NEET paper leak triggered nationwide outrage among medical aspirants and their families, with protests erupting across multiple states and demands for a thorough, time-bound investigation. The CBI was assigned the probe amid calls for an independent inquiry into how question papers were allegedly compromised before the examination.

Under Indian criminal procedure, an accused person is entitled to default bail if the investigating agency fails to file a chargesheet within the stipulated period — 60 or 90 days depending on the offence — a provision designed as a safeguard against indefinite detention. Kejriwal's allegation centres on the claim that the CBI allowed this window to lapse intentionally.

Stakeholders and Impact

Lakhs of medical aspirants who sit for NEET each year are the primary stakeholders in the integrity of the examination. Any perception that those responsible for a paper leak have escaped accountability without a full trial deepens public mistrust in both the examination system and the central investigative machinery. Opposition parties, including AAP, have consistently alleged political misuse of the CBI in high-profile cases, framing the agency as one that pursues or protects individuals based on political considerations rather than evidence.

The BJP-led central government has not, as of this post, issued a public response to Kejriwal's specific allegations regarding the chargesheet timeline or the reported clean chit. The CBI has not made an official statement addressing these claims publicly.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the status of ongoing CBI proceedings in the NEET leak case, any related hearings before the courts, and whether Parliament takes up the matter through questions or a privilege motion in the upcoming session. Opposition parties are likely to press for a Special Investigation Team or judicial inquiry to examine both the original leak and the conduct of the investigation itself. The controversy also feeds into a broader legislative conversation about reforming examination oversight and introducing stronger statutory penalties for paper leaks under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.