Bhubaneswar: A day before the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) 2025, scheduled for May 4, the Commissionerate Police arrested four individuals involved in duping medical aspirants under the pretext of securing admissions in private medical colleges in Odisha.

Per Commissioner of Police S. Dev Datta Singh, the accused were part of an inter-state fraud racket and were apprehended by the Special Crime Unit. The group included one person each from Jharkhand and Bihar, and two from Odisha.

The fraudsters allegedly took money from NEET aspirants, falsely promising them admission into private medical colleges. Part of their modus operandi, they claimed they could provide dummy candidates to appear for the NEET (UG) exam on behalf of the aspirants.

The Commissionerate Police also seized a cheque worth ₹94 lakh and a blank bank cheque from the accused.

Further investigation is underway to determine how many students may have been defrauded and how the gang planned to insert dummy candidates despite strict exam protocols, Singh added.

NEET UG 2025 will be held nationwide on Sunday, May 4, from 2 PM to 5 PM in a single shift.