NEET-UG paper leak mastermind Sanjeev Mukhia held in Danapur

PATNA: The Special Task Force (STF) of Bihar Police, in a joint operation with the Economic Offences Unit (EOU), arrested Sanjeev Mukhia, the alleged mastermind behind the NEET UG 2024 paper leak, from a flat in a Danapur apartment late on Thursday night. A reward of Rs 3 lakh had been announced earlier by the police headquarters for information leading to his capture.
Mukhia, who had been absconding since the NEET UG held in May 2024, is considered the key accused in the high-profile paper leak case. He had evaded arrest for several months before being tracked down in the state capital.
"The mastermind behind various exam paper leak cases, who is wanted in several incidents, was reported to be staying in an apartment in Danapur," said EOU additional director general Nayyar Hasnain Khan. "The information was verified and relayed to the Patna SSP, who directed the Danapur SHO to assist in the operation. The EOU's special operations team, with the help of Danapur police, was instructed to conduct a raid to arrest the fugitive Mukhia," Khan added.
The raid was carried out near Saguna Mor under the jurisdiction of Danapur police station, leading to Mukhia's formal arrest. EOU's preliminary investigation had earlier revealed that the NEET UG question paper was stolen from the control room of OASIS School in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, on May 5, 2024. The case was later handed over to the CBI. So far, 40 people have been arrested by the EOU and CBI in connection with the leak.
"The EOU will take Mukhia on remand in the constable recruitment exam paper leak case. The NEET case is now under CBI investigation and they may seek his remand subsequently," Khan added.
A former technical assistant at the Horticulture College in Noorsarai, Mukhia is accused of taking Rs 40 lakh from each student in exchange for leaked NEET papers. His name has surfaced in several high-profile exam frauds, including the 2023 Bihar Police constable recruitment paper leak and the BPSC teacher recruitment exam (TRE-3.0) scandal. His son, Dr Shiv Kumar, an MBBS graduate from PMCH, is currently in jail in connection with these cases.
Investigators have found that Mukhia's network operates in states like Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. He is suspected of involvement in leaking question papers for various recruitment exams, including those for veterinary doctors and English teachers in Haryana, as well as other exams in Uttar Pradesh.