Amid the NEET paper leak scam, India Today's special investigation team tracked down a key member of the network, who explained the intricate layers of the operation. Bijender Gupta was involved in multiple paper leak cases in the past, and was arrested twice but managed to evade the police.
A video of him from March predicting that the NEET-UG paper would be leaked has gone viral.
Gupta was involved in the 2023 Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) exam paper leak case, the Bihar Public Service Commission and Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission paper leaks. With 24 years in the paper leak network, Bijender Gupta claims networking is all that matters in this business.
He also said that the NEET-UG paper leak targeted 700 students, and the racket aimed for Rs 200-300 crore.
In the sting, Bijender Gupta explained how boxes are broken during transportation and blacklisted companies manage to get tenders. He knows key NEET accused Sanjeev Mukhiya, who is on the run, and recently arrested Vishal Chaurasia.
Gupta bluntly summed up the operations. "Jail jayenge, phir bail, aur phir shuru hoga khel (There's jail followed by bail, and the game goes on)," Bijender Gupta said in the sting.
On being asked if he got calls following his video predicting the NEET-UG paper would be leaked went viral, Gupta said no one had his number.
"All the noise happens when something goes wrong. NEET paper has happened. The investigation by the Economic Offences Unit is in the right direction. NTA cannot comprehend this," Bijender Gupta said in the sting.
He also explained how boxes containing the question papers are broken during transportation, claiming blacklisted firms also get tenders. Gupta said that breakage happens when logistics companies transport the question papers to different test centres.
"Multiple methods are adopted for the leaking. For example, connecting with government strongmen and printing press, among others," Bijender Gupta said in the India Today sting.
His insights reveal an established network, wherein even blacklisted companies manipulate tender processes to continue their operations.
Gupta was also asked how he succeeded in leaking papers.
"Have you heard of India's biggest paper leak mafia, Bedi Ram's? It happened in Jaunpur when I was his assistant. There was a competent student, and we helped him get a job and in the process went to jail," he said.
Bedi Ram is now an MLA in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur.
Even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigates the NEET-UG paper leak, and Sanjeev Mukhiya remains at large, Bijender Gupta shared detailed insights into the key accused's gang.
Gupta said that Sanjeev Mukhiya, who earlier served for a decade in the paper leak, initially used to wear a Bluetooth set on his ear and write exams.
"Sanjeev Mukhiya has nearly Rs 30 crore debts, but he never moved away (from the racket)," he added.
Gupta also spoke about how Sanjeev Mukhiya's son, Shiv, who is already jailed for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) teacher recruitment exam paper leak, was involved in the NEET-UG scam.
"There's jail, then bail, and the game goes on. How long can one be kept behind bars?" Bijender Gupta said.
He reiterated that the EOU is going right about their probe, saying that the judiciary is on a different level as it operates on evidence. "Police are also tied by the rules of law," Gupta said.
Sanjeev Mukhiya's son had allegedly accommodated around 25 candidates at a boys' hostel, associated with the Learn Play School in Patna on May 4, a day before the NEET-UG exam.
Bijender Gupta also claimed Sanjeev Mukhiya wouldn't be caught by the police.
On being asked how the NEET-UG question paper reached 700 students, Bijender Gupta said that it's a wide network of teams and the leak happened during distribution.
"There were 300 kids in Delhi and Patna and in some other places as well. Teams were sent to 3–4 places. The paper leak happened from there," he explained.
