New Delhi: Nearly two years after the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak shook the country, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said it found no evidence against Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, who was earlier suspected of being the main person behind the alleged paper leak network.
The agency, which took over the probe from the Bihar Police, said on Thursday (July 23) that its investigation did not establish his involvement in the theft or distribution of the stolen NEET-UG 2024 question paper.
In 2024, when the Bihar Police first registered the case, he was named as an accused based on initial findings.
At that stage, prima facie suspicion had emerged against Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, who may have been involved in the theft, as he was found involved in certain other paper theft/leak cases. The Bihar Police accordingly named him as an accused in the FIR, a CBI spokesperson said.
The case was later handed over to the CBI, which carried out a detailed investigation into how the question paper was stolen and circulated among candidates.
CBI claims to have identified all accused
The central investigating agency said it traced every person involved in the theft, the distribution chain and those who benefited from the leaked paper.
It filed multiple chargesheets against 45 people before a court in Patna. According to the agency, the investigation established the role of those involved in the conspiracy.
In the course of its investigation, the CBI did not come across any evidence to establish the involvement of Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya in the theft or distribution of the stolen NEET-UG question paper in 2024, the spokesperson said.
The agency added that after its probe, it was satisfied that the people involved in the case had been identified and legal action had been taken against them.
Mukhiya was absconding during the initial phase of the investigation. The CBI said he was later arrested by the Bihar Police and taken into custody for questioning in connection with the case because he was named in the original FIR.
However, after the investigation did not find evidence connecting him to the paper leak, the CBI did not include him in its chargesheet.
As no evidence of his involvement in the case emerged during the investigation, the CBI did not file any chargesheet against Sanjeev Mukhiya, who accordingly availed bail in the NEET-UG 2024 case, the agency said.
Paper leak case that led to nationwide protests
The NEET-UG 2024 controversy triggered protests by students and parents after allegations of question paper leaks and irregularities emerged. The case led to demands for accountability and a detailed investigation into the examination process.
The CBI took over the probe after the Bihar Police registered the initial case and began investigating the alleged theft of the question paper.
The agency said Mukhiya continued to face legal proceedings in other cases being investigated by the Bihar Police, which is why he continued to stay behind bars even after getting bail in the CBI case.
The CBI conducted a detailed investigation into the NEET-UG 2024 theft case, identified all the persons involved and ensured that none of them escaped the law, the agency said in its statement.