Sanjeev Mukhiya, a resident of Bihar’s Nalanda, is believed to be the mastermind of the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak case. He has reportedly been involved in exam fraud for the past 20 years. Here’s a look at his role in the medical entrance exam’s controversyread more
Advertisem*nt
 "Who is Sanjeev Mukhiya, the ‘kingpin’ of NEET paper leak case? (1)")
Students raise slogans during a protest over the alleged irregularities in NEET 2024 results, in Bhopal, 14 June 2024. PTI File Photo
The NEET-UG paper leak row has stunned India. As the probe continues, shocking details are emerging nearly on a daily basis in the case. According to reports, one Sanjeev Mukhiya from Bihar is believed to be the mastermind behind the paper leak of the medical entrance examination.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has increased pressure on the Bihar government over Mukhiya’s alleged role in theNEET paper leak case. The party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha has alleged Mukhiya’s wife had contested elections on a Janata Dal (United) ticket. He also called for the cancellation of the 2024 NEET UG exam and suggested that “the institution named NTA (National Testing Agency) should be thrown into the Bay of Bengal.” NTA conducts the NEET paper.
Advertisem*nt
Who is Sanjeev Mukhiya? Does he have political links?
Who’s Sanjeev Mukhiya?
Sanjeev Mukhiya, whose real name is Sanjeev Singh, is a resident of Nagarnausa village in Nalanda district of Bihar.
As per a News18 report, he is a technical assistant at Nalanda College’s Noorsarai branch. Mukhiya has previously worked at the Sabour Agricultural College.
He came to be addressed as ‘mukhiya’ after his wife, Mamta Devi, was elected as ‘mukhiya’ or chief of the Bhuthakhar Panchayat, the report added.
Devi had unsuccessfully contested the 2020 Bihar Assembly election from the Harnaut seat on a (then united) Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) ticket, according to The Hindu.
Sanjeev Singh is allegedly part of the ‘Mukhiya Solver Gang’, which is involved in recruitment exam frauds and NEET leaks, as per India Today.
Speaking to The Hindu, an official of the Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU), said Mukhiya was a fourth-grade employee once and also served as a Panchayat head. He has “considerable money and muscle power”, the official added.
Mukhiya’s son, Shiv Kumar, is a doctor and is currently in jail for his alleged role in a Bihar teacher recruitment exam paper leak case, reported News18. The son is also believed to be part of the notorious gang.
This is not the first time Mukhiya has been accused of being involved in a paper leak case. In fact, he was arrested for the paper leak of the constable recruitment exam conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission in 2016. Moreover, he has reportedly been involved in paper leaks for the past 20 years.
Advertisem*nt
ALSO READ:NEET, NET rows: How Bihar has gained notoriety for exam cheating
Mukhiya’s role in NEET UG paper leak case
As per reports, Mukhiya leaked the 2024 NEET-UG paper.
An EOU official told The Hindu that the accused first received the NEET question papers and answer sheets from a ‘professor’ on his mobile. “We have got the information that Sanjeev Mukhiya, alias Lootan, is the person who first received the question papers and the answer sheets on his mobile from an unknown professor. He is absconding and efforts are on to catch him,” the official said, as per the newspaper.
A police source told News18, “It was Sanjeev who arranged the question paper and handed it over to one ‘Rocky’ who is still at large”.
Advertisem*nt
Some accused arrested in the case revealed that about 25 aspirants were given the NEET questions and answer sheets on the eve of the medical entrance examination, which was held on 5 May, for a price of Rs 40 lakh per candidate.
Ayush Kumar, a NEET aspirant detained by the police, made some shocking revelations. “Ayush confessed that he had received the NEET-UG question paper on Saturday night, a day before the exam that was held on 5 May. He said that the question paper he got was the same as the one distributed at the examination centre. Ayush added that 25 other candidates like him were made to memorise the answers to the question paper that was given to them in the premises of Learn Boys Hostel and Learn Play School,” another Bihar Police officer told News18.
Advertisem*nt
Although Mukhiya is on the run, he has not completely vanished. Claiming innocence, he has applied for anticipatory bail through his lawyer in a Patna court.
Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand from Munger, the alleged middlemen in the case, are believed to be working for Mukhiya, the EOU official was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
RJD’s allegations
The RJD has been attacking the Bihar government over the NEET paper leaks case, especially since Mukhiya’s name cropped up.
The party’s handle on X shared purported pictures of Mukhiya’s wife, Mamta Devi, with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. “Who is protecting the paper leak kingpin and main mastermind, Nalanda resident Sanjeev Mukhiya? Is it not true that Sanjeev Mukhiya’s wife has contested elections for the NDA? She has been a JD(U) leader. Don’t they have direct access to the Chief Minister’s residence?”
Advertisem*nt
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) June 24, 2024𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐓 पेपर लीक के किंगपिन और मुख्य सरगना नालंदा निवासी संजीव मुखिया को कौन बचा रहा है?
क्या यह सच नहीं है कि संजीव मुखिया की पत्नी 𝐍𝐃𝐀 से चुनाव लड़ चुकी है? जदयू की नेत्री रही है।
क्या सीधे मुख्यमंत्री आवास तक इनकी पहुँच नहीं है?
नालंदा के ही मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार और… pic.twitter.com/gfrQ3pLfDp
Last week, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose aide has been accused of having a link to the NEET-UG paper leak, had asked the EOU to nab Mukhiya and threatened to release images and other documents related to the alleged kingpin that could “embarrass” the Bihar government.
With inputs from agencies
Tags
BiharNEET
Find us on YouTube
