Sanjeev Mukhiya, the prime accused in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, has been arrested by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police. Mukhiya, who had been on the run since the leak came to light last year, was apprehended late on Thursday night from an apartment in Saguna Mor under Danapur police station limits. The arrest followed a joint raid conducted by the EOU and Patna STF after receiving a tip-off.
Nayyer Hasnain Khan, ADG of the EOU, confirmed the arrest and explained that Mukhiya had been evading capture for months. Mukhiya, a resident of Nalanda, was a key figure in the NEET-UG paper leak, and the Bihar Police had announced a Rs 3 lakh reward for his capture. He was one of three main accused for whom bounties were issued by the police last month. Additionally, the police had offered a Rs 1 lakh reward for information leading to the arrest of Shubham Kumar and Rajkishore Kumar, two other suspects involved in the case.
Investigations revealed that Mukhiya was responsible for leaking the NEET-UG 2024 question paper before the May 5, 2024 examination. Mukhiya’s criminal operation involved charging students up to Rs 40 lakh each for access to the leaked paper, with students being made to memorize the answers at a private school in Patna.
Mukhiya had been running an organized gang in Bihar that specialized in leaking question papers for exams, with his son, several relatives, and youths from Nalanda playing active roles in the scam. This was not Mukhiya’s first involvement in such activities; he was previously linked to other major education-related scams in Bihar.
Initially uncovered by the Patna Police, the case was later transferred to the EOU and eventually handed over to the CBI due to the national significance of the paper leak. Over 30 people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, and authorities believe Mukhiya’s interrogation could lead to further arrests and the dismantling of a larger network of exam manipulators.
This arrest is a significant milestone in the ongoing crackdown on exam malpractices in India, and authorities are optimistic about uncovering further details that could help curb such fraudulent activities in the education system.