'Documents forged': Allahabad HC permits NTA to take legal action on Priyanka Gandhi-backed NEET aspirant

The Allahabad High Court has dismissed Ayushi Patel's petition alleging discrepancies in her NEET exam results due to a damaged OMR sheet. Patel claimed in a viral video that her score was incorrect and based on a torn answer sheet, which she alleged was replaced.   

In a major development, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition filed by NEET aspirant Ayushi Patel, citing discrepancies in her claims regarding a damaged OMR answer sheet.

Patel had alleged that the National Testing Agency (NTA) failed to declare her result due to a torn OMR sheet. She further claimed to have scored 715 marks based on the answer key, but the result she received showed a different application number with only 335 marks. These claims were made in a viral video shared on social media, which garnered attention amidst a heated debate over "irregularities" in the 2024 NEET-UG exam.

However, the court found Patel's claims to be inconsistent with the evidence presented. Upon the court's order, the NTA produced the original OMR sheet, which showed no damage. The court, terming it a case of "forged documents," dismissed Patel's petition and stated that the NTA is now free to take legal action against the student.

"The petitioner has submitted forged documents, and in such a situation this court cannot stop NTA from taking legal action against the student," the court said in its order.

The NTA has confirmed its intention to pursue legal action against Ayushi Patel. Patel's advocate had requested to withdraw the petition, which the court accepted.

Earlier, the NTA had refuted Patel's claims, stating that her actual score was lower than what she had claimed, and that the OMR sheet remained intact.

The case had gained significant attention after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had shared Patel's viral video and supported her claims of discrepancies in the exam results. However, following the High Court's dismissal of the petition, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala accused Priyanka Gandhi of "peddling fakery" and "amplifying lies," calling on her to apologize and seeking action against her.

The Allahabad High Court's decision has brought a new twist to the ongoing debate over alleged irregularities in the 2024 NEET-UG exam, underscoring the importance of verifying claims and upholding the integrity of the examination process.