NEET-UG Scam: ED Raids Ongoing in Bihar and Jharkhand

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched extensive raids in Ranchi and Patna as part of its deepening probe into the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak scandal. The early morning searches targeted multiple locations, including Ranchi’s Bariatu area and several sites in Patna tied to the family and associates of Sanjeev Mukhiya—the alleged mastermind behind the leak.

Mukhiya, a suspended technical assistant from Nalanda with a history of involvement in paper leaks across several states, was arrested earlier this year. The ED is now focused on exposing the financial trail behind the scam, particularly investigating suspected money laundering operations. The agency aims to determine the volume of illicit funds generated, as well as the methods used to move or conceal them.

The operation comes after the CBI filed an FIR in the case, prompting the ED to register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). The CBI had taken over the investigation from Bihar’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU), which began probing the matter shortly after the NEET-UG exam was held on May 5.

So far, the CBI has filed chargesheets against eight people, including Mukhiya and key accomplices, and over 30 arrests have been made. Investigators uncovered that candidates paid up to ₹40 lakh each to access leaked question papers and prepare answers at private centres ahead of the exam.

The ED is now working to unravel the broader financial network, identify additional players, and assess the full scale of the scam. The ongoing raids are expected to uncover crucial evidence in one of India’s most significant exam fraud cases.