The CBI said its investigation uncovered the entire conspiracy behind the paper leak and identified all key accused, filing multiple chargesheets against 45 individuals before a Patna court.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 23: In a significant development in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday said it had found no evidence linking Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, once widely described as the alleged mastermind of the scandal, to the theft or distribution of the leaked question paper.
The agency said its exhaustive investigation had identified all those directly involved in the conspiracy and that Mukhiya’s role could not be established despite extensive questioning and scrutiny of the evidence collected during the probe.
CBI Clears Mukhiya in NEET Case
In an official statement, the CBI said that while Sanjeev Mukhiya had initially been named as an accused by the Bihar Police, its own investigation did not reveal any material connecting him to the alleged theft or circulation of the NEET-UG 2024 examination paper.
“During the course of 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,” the agency said.
The clarification effectively removes Mukhiya from the list of accused in one of the country’s biggest examination scandals, although he continues to face investigation in several other paper leak cases.
STORY | No evidence to show Sanjeev Mukhiya’s role in theft or distribution of NEET-UG ’24 question paper: CBI
The CBI on Thursday said that it did not come across any evidence to establish the involvement of Sanjeev Kumar, alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, in the theft or distribution of… pic.twitter.com/IowVmkGysr
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 23, 2026
Why Mukhiya Was Named Initially
The controversy dates back to May 2024, when Bihar Police unearthed a racket involving the alleged leak of the NEET-UG question paper hours before the examination.
Mukhiya was named in the FIR primarily on the basis of preliminary suspicion and intelligence inputs linking him to previous examination fraud cases in Bihar. Investigators initially believed he could be one of the key organisers behind the network because of his alleged involvement in earlier recruitment examination leaks.
However, after the Centre handed over the probe to the CBI amid nationwide outrage, the agency conducted a fresh investigation, examining digital evidence, financial transactions, call detail records, witness statements and forensic material.
45 Chargesheeted
The CBI said its investigation had successfully uncovered the entire conspiracy behind the leak.
So far, the agency has filed multiple chargesheets against 45 accused before a special court in Patna. Those chargesheeted include alleged paper thieves, middlemen, facilitators, candidates who allegedly received the leaked paper and others accused of benefiting from the racket.
According to investigators, the conspiracy involved the theft of the question paper from the secure distribution chain, its circulation among selected candidates and the collection of large sums of money in return.
The agency said all major conspirators identified through the investigation have been prosecuted.
Questioned, But Not Chargesheeted
Mukhiya remained absconding during the initial stages of the investigation before being arrested by Bihar Police in connection with separate cases.
After taking over the probe, the CBI obtained his custody and interrogated him extensively regarding the NEET paper leak.
However, investigators said they failed to find any documentary, digital or oral evidence linking him to the theft or distribution of the NEET-UG 2024 paper. Consequently, the agency decided not to name him in any of its chargesheets. He was later granted bail in the NEET-UG case.
READ: Bollywood Finally Finds Its Voice, Ali Bhatt Latest to Backs CJP Protests
Still Faces Other Cases
Although the CBI has effectively given him a clean chit in the NEET-UG 2024 investigation, Mukhiya continues to remain in judicial custody in connection with several other examination paper leak cases being investigated by the Bihar Police.
He is alleged to have links with organised networks involved in recruitment examination frauds in Bihar, allegations that remain under investigation.
CBI Says Conspiracy Fully Uncovered
The agency said it is satisfied that its investigation has identified every individual directly connected with the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak conspiracy.
According to the CBI, all persons found responsible for stealing, circulating or benefiting from the leaked question paper have been brought within the ambit of the law, and prosecution against the accused is underway before the trial court.
The NEET-UG 2024 paper leak had triggered nationwide outrage, raising serious questions over the integrity of India’s largest medical entrance examination and eventually leading the Supreme Court to hear multiple petitions seeking cancellation of the test. Although the examination was not scrapped, the controversy prompted the Centre to strengthen anti-paper leak measures and ultimately enact the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aimed at tackling organised examination fraud through stricter penalties and faster investigations.
