On a rather unusual Tuesday (18th June), the Allahabad High Court made a decision allowing the National Testing Agency (NTA) to initiate legal proceedings against a NEET aspirant, Ayushi Patel. Patel had earlier lodged a complaint through her petition claiming that the NTA had unjustly failed to release her exam results and that her OMR answer sheet was mysteriously torn. However, this tale took a twist as it surfaced that the documents provided by her were forged.

In a remarkable turn of events guided by the court's instruction on the 12th of June, the NTA was compelled to unveil the actual state of Patel's OMR sheet. Contrary to her dramatic claims, it was discovered to be in pristine condition, untouched and certainly not torn.

In an orchestrated display of transparency, NTA Deputy Director Sandeep Sharma stepped forward with the original documents of the student, bolstered by an affidavit. In the courtroom, Counsel Shashank Bhasin laid out the original OMR Sheet, Attendance Sheet, and the Score Card of Patel, ensuring nothing remained hidden from the judicial scrutiny. Bhasin argued convincingly, pointing out that on these crucial documents, the application number—240411340741—was clearly stated, and signed off by Patel herself, a signature of acknowledgment that perhaps painted a self-portrait of deceit.

As the courtroom drama unfolded, Ayushi Patel's counsel, Piyush Agnihotri, presented a curious twist by submitting that Patel's NEET UG 2024 application number is 240411840741, different from what had been originally declared.

In a statement that seemed more like a script from a poorly written play, "Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the aforesaid application number is consistent in Annexure No.9 of the petition, which is photocopy of one e.mail relating to NTA NEET UG EXAM 2024 sent by one Sri Deshraj Singh addressed to the petitioner apprising her that NTA received damaged (torn) OMR on the same Application Form Number. Further, Annexure No.10 of the petition is a mail of the petitioner sent to NEET wherein she has indicated the same application number," the court noted, weaving a narrative that seemed to barely hold together under scrutiny.

Amidst this theatrical display, Patel’s counsel submitted photocopies of some documents and emails allegedly exchanged between Ayushi Patel and the National Testing Agency. These documents purportedly indicated the same application number (240411840741), although original documents previously presented showed a distinctly different Application Form Number as 240411340741.

The plot thickened in the courtroom as Shashank Bhasin, representing the National Testing Agency, expressed his bafflement over Ayushi Patel’s shifting narratives regarding her application number. Bhasin pointed out the confusion stemming from Patel's contradictory claims in her emails compared to the number she acknowledged on the original documents.

The inquiry reached a climax when a vacation bench led by Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan scrutinized the documents and determined that Ayushi Patel had indeed attempted to mislead the court with forged documents. "Sri Bhasin has stated with vehemence that all the documents filed with the petition are forged and fictitious. He has shown all the original documents of the petitioner in terms of the aforesaid order, perusal thereof reveals that the statement of Sri Bhasin is correct inasmuch as the documents, so filed by the petitioner in the writ petition are forged and fictitious," Justice Chauhan declared, stripping the facade off Patel’s claims.

Adding to the damning evidence, Bhasin cited the NEET UG 2024 information brochure’s Chapter 13: Unfair Means Practices and Breach of Examination Rules. According to clause 14.1-(l)(q) and (r), providing incorrect information, overwriting roll numbers, or tampering with responses on the OMR sheet either before or after the result declaration constitutes a serious breach of examination protocol.

The courtroom was rife with a palpable sense of the inevitable as Shashank Bhasin made it clear that the NTA was gearing up to pursue legal ramifications against Ayushi Patel for her deceitful actions. Amidst this legal tightening, Patel's own counsel found themselves at a loss, concededly admitting to the court that they had "nothing to say in the petitioner’s defence."

Reflecting on the gravity of the situation, the court lamented the deceptive practices employed by Patel, branding it a "sorry state of affairs" and confirming the NTA's right to take legal action. "Be that as it may, this is really a sorry state of affairs that the petitioner filed a petition enclosing therewith the forged and fictitious documents, therefore, this Court cannot restrain the competent authority/authorities to take any legal action against the petitioner strictly in accordance with law," the court expressed.

The final nail in the coffin came when Patel's counsel requested the dismissal of the petition, as they no longer had any plausible defense to offer. "Since the learned counsel for the petitioner has requested that this petition may be dismissed being not pressed as he has nothing to say or plead in favour of the petitioner, therefore, this writ petition is dismissed being not pressed," ruled the court.

How Congress Party, Including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Amplified Ayushi Patel’s Lies to Target NTA

The tale of Ayushi Patel, now infamous for her forged document fiasco, also highlights a political subplot involving the Congress party. As the court recently allowed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to take legal action against Patel for her fraudulent actions, it is crucial to revisit how the Congress party, along with its leaders, unknowingly championed her cause.

In a dramatic unfolding of events, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was quick to seize upon the allegations surrounding Patel's NEET examination. Without delving into the authenticity of the claims, Gandhi shared a video of Patel on the 10th of June, effectively amplifying the student’s baseless allegations to launch a critique against the Central government.

Gandhi emphatically stated, "Lakhs of children prepare hard for exams like NEET and spend the most precious moments of their lives in this preparation. The whole family puts their faith and strength in this effort. But year after year, paper leaks and irregularities related to results have been reported in these exams. Shouldn’t the accountability of the agencies conducting the exams be fixed? Shouldn’t the government give up its careless attitude and seriously consider the exam system? We cannot see the dreams of our young friends being shattered like this. This injustice being done by the system with their hard work must stop. The government will have to take serious steps to correct these irregularities," Gandhi posted on X, drawing attention to broader systemic issues through Patel’s case.

However, the NTA stood firm against the whirlwind of accusations, refuting any claims of OMR sheet tampering or that they had ever dispatched a torn OMR sheet as Patel had claimed. This rebuttal from NTA casts a shadow over the credibility of the claims endorsed by the Congress party and underscores the perils of political figures rushing to support allegations without a thorough verification of the facts.

Ayushi Patel’s saga of deceit reached new heights of absurdity as she continued to peddle dubious claims. In a striking video statement, Patel boldly alleged that the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body tasked with administering examinations across India, had notified her via email that her OMR sheet was irreparably damaged. She claimed, "the email conveyed that her result could not be generated because the NTA found her OMR sheet torn and damaged." Further, she audaciously added that the sheet appeared to be ‘deliberately torn.’ Yet, despite these alleged damages, she asserted that the answers visible on her purportedly torn OMR sheet scored her an almost perfect 715 out of 720 marks.

Contrasting sharply with her claims, the NTA firmly denied any such mishap, stating her answer sheet was intact and unharmed. More starkly, they revealed that Patel’s actual score was a mere 365 marks, far from the lofty 715 she boasted about.

Adding to her repertoire of fantastical claims, back in 2020, Patel sought the limelight by proclaiming she had concocted the ‘formula for Covid vaccine’ within the confines of her mind. This earlier stunt, like her recent escapades, seems to be drawn from a well of deception and tall tales.

The case, officially known as Ayushi Patel vs. Union Of India Thru. Secy., Ministry Education/ Deptt. Of Higher Education, New Delhi And Another, is not just a legal battle but a stark illustration of how far some individuals may go in crafting their narratives, straddling the line between audacity and artifice.