New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced on Thursday that its probe into the NEET-UG 2024 examination paper leak uncovered no evidence linking key suspect Sanjeev Kumar, also known as Sanjeev Mukhiya, to the theft or distribution of the question paper. The agency confirmed that because no incriminating material was found against him during the detailed investigation, no chargesheet was filed against Mukhiya in this matter, enabling him to obtain bail in the specific case.
The paper leak controversy was first exposed by the Bihar Police in May 2024, after which Mukhiya was named in the initial First Information Report (FIR) based on prima facie suspicion and his alleged links to other competitive examination leaks. After the CBI took over the probe, federal investigators identified the complete chain of individuals involved in stealing and circulating the stolen examination paper, as well as every candidate who benefited from the breach. The agency subsequently filed multiple chargesheets against 45 individuals before a specialized court in Patna.
Despite remaining at large for an extended period, Mukhiya was later apprehended by law enforcement in connection with separate examination fraud cases. CBI officials subsequently took him into custody for questioning due to his inclusion in the original police complaint. Investigators clarified that while Mukhiya secured bail in the NEET-UG case, he remains in judicial custody owing to ongoing probes by Bihar state authorities into other recruitment and admission scams.
Mukhiya, a former technical assistant at Nalanda College’s Noorsarai branch, has a history of alleged involvement in high-profile examination scandals dating back to 2003, including the Common Admission Test (CAT) leak and the 2016 Bihar Police constable recruitment paper breach. Federal authorities maintained that all primary conspirators in the NEET-UG 2024 theft have been fully identified and brought within the legal process.
