Uttarakhand Police have arrested two people in connection with allegations that fake freedom fighter and domicile certificates were submitted during the NEET-UG 2025 admission process to secure MBBS seats.
The arrests were made by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the alleged use of fraudulent documents in the admission process. Police identified the accused as Rupesh Pandit, who owns an educational consultancy firm in Meerut, and Arvind Kumar, a resident of Bahadurpur Khadar village in Haridwar district and the father of a NEET aspirant.
According to Uttarakhand Police, the investigation is focused on determining how the alleged fake certificates were prepared and used and whether other people were involved in the process.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Dobhal said during a press briefing in Dehradun that the SIT, headed by SP (Rural-1) Jaya Baloni, had taken possession of important documents linked to the investigation.
The case relates to two FIRs registered on September 13 at Raipur and Clement Town police stations. The police are examining the documents submitted during the NEET-UG 2025 admission process and are trying to establish the circumstances under which the certificates were obtained and used.
The alleged irregularities concern certificates related to freedom fighter status and domicile. Such documents can be relevant to eligibility for specific reservation or state-quota benefits during medical admissions. The police investigation will determine whether the documents were deliberately falsified and whether they were used to obtain benefits to which the applicants were not entitled.
The arrests mark the first major action in the case since the investigation began. Police said the probe is continuing and that further suspects could be identified as investigators examine the documents and other evidence collected during the inquiry.
The case has also brought attention to the verification process used during medical admissions. NEET-UG is the common entrance examination for undergraduate medical courses in India, and candidates seeking admission through different categories are required to submit supporting documents where applicable.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the full details of the alleged forged certificates or the specific admission benefits obtained through them. The investigation is ongoing, and further action will depend on the evidence gathered by the SIT.
Police officials said their immediate focus is on tracing the wider network, if any, involved in preparing or submitting the allegedly fraudulent documents and determining whether additional candidates or intermediaries were connected to the case.
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