PATNA: The Samastipur Police in Bihar arrested two individuals, including an MBBS doctor, for impersonation and fraud during the NEET-UG examination conducted on Sunday.
Three mobile phones, a car and Rs 50,000 in cash were recovered from their possession. Investigating officers are ascertaining whether the arrested have links with NEET-UG 2024 examination paper leak kingpin Sanjeev Mukhiya, currently lodged in the Beur central jail near Patna.
Mukhiya, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 3 lakh, was arrested from Patna last month. Sanjay Kumar Pandey, ASP, Samastipur, said that a police team detained two individuals who were sitting in a car parked outside an examination centre in Mohanpur. Police officials noticed that their mobile phones contained the admit cards of various candidates.
During interrogation, the duo admitted to having replaced weak candidates with scholars (impersonators) in various examination centres in Samastipur and other places to enable them to score well and get admission to medical colleges.
They would charge anything between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. One of them introduced himself as Dr Ranjeet Kumar, a government doctor posted at Begusarai divisional jail, while his associate Rambabu Malik is a native of Darbhanga.
ASP Pandey said, “Their links with NEET-UG 2025 paper leak kingpin Sanjeev Mukhiya are being ascertained.” The Bihar police’s economic offences unit alerted all DMs and SPs to keep vigil at examination centres. Deputy Inspector General, EOU, Manavjeet Singh Dhillon said that S K Faiz was arrested from Araria on Sunday after it was established that he was collecting money from candidates to provide them with question papers for the NEET-UG 2025 examination.
Faiz, a resident of Islam Nagar in Araria district, had created a Telegram channel to connect with candidates and ask for money in lieu of question papers. One Arvind Kumar, a native of Aurangabad district, was arrested in Odisha for his links to the NEET exam racket.
How it unfolded
May 4
10.30 PM: A car was spotted moving from one exam centre to another
10.35 PM : District police control room alerts police stations in the urban areas
10.55 PM : Two people travelling in the car spotted near Mohanpur bridge
10.57 PM: A police team rushes to the spot where car is parked
11 PM: Individuals in the car brought to police station for questioning
11.20 PM: Members of SIT quiz the detainees in police lock-up
2 PM to 5 PM: Exam conducted
May 5
11 AM :Both accused produced before court, sent in 14-day judicial custody