New Delhi, August 10: The Rouse Avenue Court on Monday rejected the plea of three accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case seeking directions for conducting polygraph, brain-mapping and lie detector tests on them.

Special Judge (Fast Track Court) Ajay Gupta dismissed the application filed by Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Dinesh Biwal. The accused had sought the tests, arguing that they would assist in a fair and transparent investigation. Their counsel, advocate A P Singh, submitted that a fair investigation and fair trial are rights guaranteed to the accused under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), however, opposed the application. Senior Public Prosecutor V K Pathak argued that the application was not maintainable and sought costs against the accused, pointing out that the government had already established a special fast-track court to deal with the case.

Meanwhile, the court deferred its order on taking cognizance of the CBI charge sheet. The court said the order was being dictated but could not be completed as the record was voluminous. The order on cognizance will now be pronounced on August 12.

The court also extended the judicial custody of the accused till August 12. The accused persons appeared before the court through video conferencing.

The CBI has filed a nearly 20,000-page charge sheet against 13 accused in connection with alleged irregularities and paper leakage in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The agency has cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects in the charge sheet.

The accused have been booked for offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust and destruction of evidence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. (ANI)