PATNA: The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar police on Saturday claimed to have made a significant breakthrough in connection with the NEET re-examination case with the arrest of the key accused, who had managed to bag a contract for installing biometric verification machines at examination centres.
Acting on a tip-off, the EOU officials conducted a raid at his hideouts and arrested Pramod Kumar, who had been absconding ever since a case was registered at EOU police station in Patna. Kumar reportedly confessed to his crime and revealed the names of his associates – Rahul and Vikas Kumar.
During interrogation, it emerged that Rahul and Vikas, stated to be members of the ‘solver gang’, had helped Pramod bag the contract for installing biometric verification machines at examination centres in Lakhisarai district for NEET re-examination conducted on June 21, 2026.
Pramod had managed to allow scholars (ghost writers) to enter the examination hall after biometric verification and write papers for candidates who had paid a hefty amount for the facility. Md. Sajjad, Subodh and Rohit alias Murari were allegedly assigned the task.
The operators of biometric machines at the examination centres were provided the list of ‘candidates’ (known as scholars) by the members of the paper leak racket. “Pramod will be taken on remand for further interrogation. He was sent to judicial custody,” an investigating officer said.
The racket came to light during examination at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khabour, in Lakhisarai district. Initially a case was registered at Kiul police station against 27 accused. The case was later transferred to EOU for an in-depth investigation.
The probe agency has already submitted a chargesheet against 14 accused. Kumar’s role in two cases registered at Kawaiya police station in Lakhisarai district was also being investigated. Police have sought a remand of Rohit in another case lodged at Nawada town police station.
On June 21, 2026, police had arrested 30 people for alleged irregularities in NEET re-examination. Of them, 18 individuals working at the examination venues were arrested for violating biometric verification norms by allowing fake candidates to sit for examination.
Over 20 lakh medical aspirants had appeared for the NEET (UG) re-examination conducted on June 21, following the cancellation of the original test amid paper leak allegations. This also led to nationwide protests.
Investigators claimed that candidates were charged lakhs of rupees for impersonation, with the network allegedly exploiting verification systems at examination centres.
Not so NEET
NEET-UG re-exam held on June 21, 2026
30 held, including 5 medicos & 14 biometric verification firm employees
On July 8 EOU questions students and biometric firm employees
Arpit Raj, previously questioned by the CBI in the 2024 NEET
paper-leak case, identified as mastermind
Breakthrough as PMCH-Patna MBBS student Mayank Kashyap caught at Hasanpur High School centre in Lakhisarai
Investigators identify 12 medical students as proxy candidates
Gang allegedly manipulated identity verification to seat proxy candidates in place of registered applicants
Chargesheet filed against 14 accused, including five medical students
Bihar-based gang linked to operations across at least eight states