The alleged mastermind of the NEET UG 2024 paper leak, Sanjeev Mukhia, was taken into custody late Thursday night from an apartment in Danapur by the Bihar Police Special Task Force (STF) in collaboration with the Economic Offences Unit (EOU).A Rs 3 lakh reward was previously offered by police headquarters for information that resulted in his capture. Mukhia is regarded as the main suspect in the well-known paper leak case; he had been evading capture since the NEET UG in May 2024.He was apprehended in the state capital after evading capture for several months.
According to EOU additional director general Nayyar Hasnain Khan, “the mastermind behind various exam paper leak cases, who is wanted in several incidents, was reported to be staying in a flat in Danapur.” After being confirmed, the information was forwarded to the Patna SSP, who instructed the Danapur SHO to support the operation.In order to apprehend the fugitive Mukhia, the EOU’s special operations team was directed to launch a raid with the assistance of Danapur police,” Khan continued.
Mukhia was formally arrested as a result of the raid, which took place under the control of the Danapur police station close to Saguna Mor. According to EOU’s initial investigation, on May 5, 2024, the NEET UG question paper was taken from the OASIS School’s control room in Hazaribag, Jharkhand. Later, the CBI was given the case. As of right now, the EOU and CBI have arrested 40 people in relation to the leak.”In the case of the constable recruitment exam paper leak, the EOU will place Mukhia on remand.The CBI is currently looking into the NEET case, and they might ask for his remand later,” Khan continued.
Mukhia, a former technical assistant at the Horticulture College in Noorsarai, is charged with demanding Rs 40 lakh from every student in return for NEET papers that were leaked. His name has been linked to a number of well-known exam frauds, such as the BPSC teacher recruitment exam (TRE-3.0) controversy and the 2023 Bihar Police constable recruitment paper leak. In connection with these cases, his son, Dr. Shiv Kumar, who graduated from PMCH with an MBBS, is presently in prison.
Mukhia’s network is active in states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, and Rajasthan, according to investigators.He may have been involved in the leak of question papers for a number of recruitment exams, such as those for English teachers and veterinary doctors in Haryana, as well as other exams in Uttar Pradesh.
