NEET Case Kingpin's Political Ambitions

Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev 'Mukhiya', an alleged kingpin behind the NEET paper leak, was not only minting money but wanted to become an MP or MLA.

Amid the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak scam in Bihar, it turns out that one of the main accused involved in it was not only minting money but had political ambitions as well to become an MLA or MLC, if not MP.

It was more or less similar to the political ambition exhibited by another alleged mastermind behind the question paper leak over one-and-a-half decades ago in the state.

For the Bihar police's Economic Offence Unit, Sanjeev Kumar alias Sanjeev 'Mukhiya', a resident of Nalanda district, is a kingpin behind the NEET paper leak in the state. One of the 20 accused arrested in the case, he is not new to politics.

He is reportedly close to some ruling Janata Dal-United leaders. His wife Mamta Devi was fielded as a candidate by the Lok Janshakti Party, a Bharatiya Janata Party ally, in the 2020 Bihar assembly election from the Harnaut assembly seat in Nalanda.

Mamta Devi was unsuccessful, and was defeated by 29,000 votes.

The EOU probe revealed that Sanjeev 'Mukhiya' was allegedly involved in five more question paper leaks, including the Bihar constable recruitment exam in 2023.

His son was arrested earlier in connection with a question paper leak of the Bihar Public Service Commission's third phase teacher recruitment examination.

According to reports, Sanjeev 'Mukhiya' tried his best to get a JD-U ticket for his wife to contest the assembly polls but when he couldn't, she contested as an LJP candidate.

Though it was her first electoral contest, she gave a tough fight to the sitting JD-U MLA and candidate Harinarayan Singh thanks to the resources reportedly used by Sanjeev 'Mukhiya' to mobilise support for her.

Later he reportedly tried twice to make his wife an MLC, from the JD-U or any another party, but failed.

In the 2016 panchayat elections, 'Mukhiya' used his resources to ensure his wife's victory as a mukhiya (village body head) from his native panchayat of Bhuthakhar.

His wife won by 300 votes, defeating two women candidates belonging to a local political family.

Sanjeev became locally known as Sanjeev 'Mukhiya' from this point onwards, as his wife won the mukhiya elections, and he formally entered local politics.

In the 2021 panchayat elections, Mamta did not contest for mukhiya.

He fielded the wife of a close aide who won as mukhiya and he continued to play local politics as before.

"Sanjeev may be working as a technical assistant but he is well known in Nalanda and neighbouring districts for years for his powerful clout to ensure government jobs and admission in technical and medical colleges in Bihar and across the country," alleges a neighbour who did not want to be named.

"This established him as a much sought-after man among job aspirants and seekers of admission in technical and medical colleges and their parents," the neighbour added.

Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav posted pictures on social media of Sanjeev's wife with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other JD-U leaders including Bihar Minister Shravan Kumar and JD-U MLC Neeraj Kumar.

Earlier, the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal questioned the delay in arresting Sanjeev and raised the issue of who was saving him.

'Is it not true that Sanjeev's wife is a JD-U leader and contested elections under the NDA?' the RJD asked.

In the early 2000s Ranjit Singh alias Ranjit 'Don' from Nalanda hit the headlines for his role as an alleged kingpin behind the question paper leak.

Ranjit 'Don', whose real name is Kumar Suman Singh, had been arrested by the CBI for his alleged role in leaking question papers of CAT, AIIMS and CBSE entrance examinations in 2003.

After being in jail for nearly one-and-a-half years, he unsuccessfully contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls as an independent from Begusarai parliamentary seat and polled over 60,000 votes.

Ranjit 'Don' then contested the 2005 Bihar assembly elections from Hilsa as an LJP candidate but was again defeated.

In the 2015 Bihar assembly elections, Ranjit 'Don' was fielded by the LJP, a BJP ally, in the biennial elections to the legislative council but was defeated.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha and some JD-U leaders including Minister Sharvan Kumar targeted Tejashwi Yadav for his alleged involvement in the case, alleging that Pritam Kumar, a former close aide of Tejashwi, had links with the accused as he tried to book a room at a guest house for one of the accused in the first week of May.

RJD leaders denied this, saying it appears that ruling National Democratic Alliance leaders are diverting the issue by making such allegations.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com