In the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, the story of the alleged network of paper leaks revolved around the name of Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, about whom the Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) of Bihar made tall claims. A reward was also announced on Sanjeev and discussions were held even in Nepal regarding his search. CBI did not find any concrete evidence against Sanjeev Mukhiya of his involvement in NEET paper theft or its distribution.
Now the result was that CBI did not even file a charge sheet against him in this case.
Now the question that naturally arises is that, in the initial phase of the investigation, the person who was projected as a major player in the paper leak, if ultimately no evidence was found against him, then what was the basis of the initial claims?
The story started with Patna Police, then EOU’s entry
The first major action was taken by Patna Police in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case. At that time the SSP of Patna was Rajiv Mishra. The action that started on the information of suspicious activities during the examination gradually turned into a big case of paper leak.
Patna Police was still taking the investigation forward when the Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police entered the case. After this, the scope of investigation extended from Patna and Bihar to Jharkhand. Raids were conducted, arrests were made, links to the alleged network of paper leaks were linked and many big claims came to light.
Amidst all this, one name of Sanjeev Mukhiya was discussed the most. An atmosphere was created regarding Sanjeev Mukhiya as if he had the most important key to the entire mystery of NEET paper leak.
Sometimes mastermind, sometimes absconding… then discussion of Nepal
The search for Sanjeev Mukhiya intensified. A reward was declared on him. Various types of information kept coming to light regarding his absconding. It was even discussed that he might be hiding in Nepal. That means the story of the investigation left Patna and reached the border of Nepal. But the most interesting turn of this story came when Sanjeev Mukhiya, who was absconding for a long time, was found not in Nepal, but in an apartment in Saguna Mod area of Patna.
The person for whom there was talk of laying a trap far and wide, was finally found in the capital Patna. Call it a coincidence, a miracle of investigation or a question of information system, this is a different debate. But it is certain that the longer the story of the search was, the more shocking was the location of the arrest.
Investigation reached CBI and the story started changing
Meanwhile, the investigation of NEET-UG paper leak case was handed over to CBI. CBI investigated the entire chain from the theft of the paper to its distribution and alleged beneficiaries. The arrested accused were interrogated and chargesheets were filed in the court connecting different links. When Sanjeev Mukhiya was arrested and reached jail, CBI also took him on remand in his case and interrogated him. It was hoped that now the so-called big secret would be exposed, around which the name of Sanjeev Mukhiya had been revolving for a long time. But the result of CBI investigation was completely different from the initial claims.
CBI, while clarifying its position before the court, said that despite detailed investigation, no evidence was found to prove the role of Sanjeev Mukhiya in the conspiracy of theft of NEET-UG 2024 question paper or its distribution. For this reason CBI did not file a charge sheet against him in this case. Later Sanjeev Mukhiya also got bail in the NEET case. However, due to being an accused in other cases, he could not come out of judicial custody.
The claims were big… but where did the evidence go?
This is where the biggest question arises. On one hand, Sanjeev Mukhiya’s name came up prominently in the initial investigation. He was searched, a reward was announced on him and big claims were made about his alleged network. On the other hand, when CBI completed the investigation of the same case, no evidence was found to file a charge sheet against him.
So what is the truth?
Was suspicion itself considered evidence in the initial investigation? Was there a hurry to accept someone as the mastermind even before the investigation was completed? Or the facts on the basis of which the initial agencies had considered the role of Sanjeev Mukhiya important, could not stand the test of CBI? Answers to these questions are also important because investigation of paper leak of any major examination cannot be just a game of arrests and claims. After all, what matters in court is not the claim, but the evidence.
Chargesheet on 45 accused
According to CBI, it investigated the entire conspiracy of NEET-UG 2024 paper leak and filed multiple charge sheets against a total of 45 accused in this case. That means the paper was leaked, a conspiracy took place and its accused were also identified. But the CBI did not find enough evidence against Sanjeev Mukhiya, whose name was in the news the most in the initial phase, of his involvement in NEET paper theft or its distribution.
CBI gave clarification
The CBI said that the NEET (UG) 2024 paper theft case has been thoroughly investigated, all those involved have been identified and it has been ensured that no one escapes the process of law. This matter was completely clarified only in 2024. Now the things that are being said about deliberate non-inclusion of his name are wrong on the basis of facts.
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