NEET-UG paper leak mastermind Sanjeev Mukhiya arrested in Patna

Mukhiya, a resident of Nalanda, carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head and was one of three key accused for whom bounties had been announced by the Bihar Police last month

Patna: Sanjeev Mukhiya, the prime accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case, was arrested from the Saguna Mor under Danapur police station limits, here.

Nayyer Hasnain Khan, ADG of the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, said Mukhiya was arrested late Thursday night. “Based on a tip-off, a joint team of EOU and Patna STF raided an apartment in Saguna Mor and arrested Sanjeev Mukhiya, who was hiding there. He had been on the run since the NEET-UG paper leak came to light last year,” Khan said.

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Mukhiya, a resident of Nalanda, carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head and was one of three key accused for whom bounties had been announced by the Bihar Police last month.

The police had announced a Rs 1 lakh cash award for information leading to the arrest of the other two accused, Shubham Kumar and Rajkishore Kumar.

Mukhiya leaked the NEET-UG 2024 question paper before the May 5, 2024, examination. Investigations revealed that students were charged up to Rs 40 lakh each and made to memorise answers at a private school in Patna. Mukhiya has been running an organised gang in Bihar to leak the question paper. His son, several relatives and youths from Nalanda were involved in the scam.

Mukhiya was previously linked to other paper leaks in Bihar, making him a notorious figure in education-related scams. Initially uncovered by the Patna Police, the NEET-UG case was transferred to the EOU and later handed over to the CBI due to its national impact.

Over 30 people have been arrested in connection with the case so far. Authorities believe Mukhiya’s interrogation could lead to further arrests and disclosures about a broader network involved in exam manipulation. This arrest marks a significant milestone in the crackdown on exam malpractices.