Prime accused of NEET-UG paper leak arrested in Patna

THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK

Patna, April 25: Sanjeev Mukhiya, the alleged mastermind and prime accused in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak, was arrested by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU), Patna, on Thursday night from an apartment near Saguna Mod in Patna.

Mukhiya, a former technical assistant at a government college in Nalanda, is also linked to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE-3) paper leak case, which took place in March 2024.

Mukhiya’s Gang Operates Across Multiple States

Officials confirmed Mukhiya’s arrest following a months-long investigation into the paper theft that exposed a widespread network of illegal activities. Earlier, Bihar Police had announced a reward of Rs 3 lakh for information leading to his capture.

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The investigation revealed that Mukhiya’s gang, which operates across several states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, was responsible for multiple paper leaks. The gang is also believed to have orchestrated previous leaks in recruitment exams for veterinary doctors and English teachers in Haryana, as well as various other exams held in Uttar Pradesh.

Details of NEET-UG 2024 Paper Leak

In relation to the NEET-UG paper leak, the investigation traced the stolen question paper to the OASIS School’s control room in Hazaribagh, where the theft took place on May 5, 2024.

The paper was removed by Pankaj Kumar, another key accused, who was granted access to the control room by the school’s Principal Ahsanul Haque and Vice Principal Imtiyaz Alam. Kumar photographed the question paper and resealed the trunk before leaving.

The stolen papers were then distributed to candidates at the Raj Guest House in Hazaribagh, and were later scanned and sent digitally to specific locations where members of the accused gang were waiting. Candidates were not allowed to retain printed copies of the paper post-exam.

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The CBI’s investigation further led to the discovery of half-burnt question paper pieces at Learn Play School in Patna, which helped connect the theft to OASIS School.

Previously, in October 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a chargesheet in the case before the Special Judge Court in Patna.