Patna: In a significant development in the ongoing NEET 2024 question paper leak case, one of the main accused, Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, has been granted bail by a CBI Special Court in the Civil Court premises. The court ordered his release from judicial custody, citing the failure of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a chargesheet against him within the mandatory 90-day period following his arrest.
The bail was granted under the provisions of Section 167 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Mukhiya’s legal team argued that despite the expiry of the prescribed time limit, the CBI had not submitted a chargesheet, a key legal requirement for continued judicial custody. After a detailed hearing of arguments from both the prosecution and Mukhiya’s defense lawyers, the court ruled in his favor.
Background of the Arrest and Investigation
Sanjeev Mukhiya was arrested by the Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police from an apartment in Patna’s Saguna Mor area a few months ago. His arrest was considered a major breakthrough in the case, which was initially being investigated by the Bihar Police before being handed over to the CBI. Following his arrest, the CBI took him into custody on a four-day remand for intensive questioning regarding his alleged role in the widespread paper leak.
The NEET (UG) 2024 exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, was marred by serious allegations of irregularities. The initial police investigation, spearheaded by the Shastri Nagar police station, led to multiple arrests. Given the scale and national implications of the scam, the Central Government transferred the investigation to the CBI in July 2024.
CBI’s Chargesheet Filing Status
Since taking over the case, the CBI has arrested a total of 49 individuals and has been filing chargesheets in a staggered manner. A preliminary chargesheet was filed against 13 accused on July 1, 2024, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against 6 more on September 19, 2024. A second chargesheet was filed against 21 accused on October 7, 2024, and a third against another accused on November 7, 2024.
Ongoing Investigation and Allegations
Despite the bail order, the CBI’s investigation against Sanjeev Mukhiya is still active, and there remains a possibility of a future chargesheet being filed. Sanjeev Mukhiya is alleged to be one of the key figures in the paper leak scam, accused of orchestrating the leakage of question papers for multiple competitive examinations, including the NEET (UG) 2024. He had reportedly been absconding for a considerable period before his arrest. The case continues to raise significant questions about the security and fairness of competitive examinations in the country.
