RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court on Tuesday passed an urgent order to ensure that a 21-year-old undertrial, Kunal Tarunakar of Raipur, is able to appear in the NEET-2026 examination scheduled for June 21, directing that he be taken to the test centre under police custody instead of being released on temporary bail.
Court's Directive
The direction was issued by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha while hearing a miscellaneous criminal case of 2026. The matter was taken up on an urgent basis after the applicant’s counsel, Anukul Biswas, mentioned on June 15 that Tarunakar had been preparing for NEET and required immediate relief as the examination date was approaching.
Background of the Case
Tarunakar is in custody in connection with a case registered at Khamtarai police station, Raipur, for an offence under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The State was represented by panel lawyer Palak Dwivedi, who said there was no objection to facilitating his appearance in the examination with suitable arrangements, while also pointing to material on record and allegations that the applicant had instigated the deceased to commit suicide.
After considering the circumstances, the court held that, in the interest of justice, permitting the applicant to write the examination under police escort was appropriate “rather than granting temporary bail.”
Specific Orders
The court directed that Tarunakar be taken under proper police custody to the NEET-2026 examination centre—Kendriya Vidyalaya, Raipur—on June 21 and returned to jail immediately after the test. The Superintendent of Police, Raipur, and the jail superintendent were ordered to ensure compliance and make necessary arrangements. The court also directed the applicant’s counsel or family members to provide a copy of the admit card to the SP and jail authorities well in advance.
In addition, the HC ordered that Tarunakar be provided relevant study material in jail, subject to applicable jail rules, to enable him to prepare for the examination.
Next Steps
The application was disposed of, and the case is to be listed again after three weeks as the charge-sheet has not yet been filed. The Registrar (Judicial) was directed to forward the order immediately to the trial court, the Superintendent of Police, and the jail superintendent for compliance.
