Bihar's NEET UG re-examination has been struck by two separate fraud operations that together reveal how entrenched and financially sophisticated the criminal ecosystem around India's biggest medical entrance test has become. Despite tightened security measures including biometric verification, face authentication, CCTV surveillance and a police presence at all exam centers, fraudsters found ways to operate. In Lakhisarai district, nine imposters were caught posing as registered candidates at three different venues, while in Muzaffarpur, a gang was running Telegram channels to peddle fake question papers to desperate aspirants. Twenty-four people are now in custody across both cases, five of whom are medical students themselves.
Nine Imposters Nabbed Across Three Centers in Lakhisarai
Officials in Lakhisarai grew suspicious on exam day when documents, photographs and fingerprints of certain candidates failed to match. What followed was a swift investigation that led to nine individuals being arrested for impersonating genuine registered aspirants at three separate exam centers. The district hosted four exam venues in total: Kendriya Vidyalaya, Uchchh Vidyalaya Hasanpur, KRK Uchchh Vidyalaya and DIET Lakhisarai. Seven of the nine fake candidates were caught at Kendriya Vidyalaya, one at Hasanpur school and one at KRK school. As investigators dug deeper, the contours of a larger organised network began to emerge.
Deals of Up to Rs 40 Lakh Uncovered
The investigation quickly established that this was not a case of spontaneous exam malpractice. Large sums of money had changed hands between aspirants and the solvers hired to sit the exam on their behalf. In some cases, deals worth up to Rs 40 lakh had been struck to secure a passing result. Police are now working to identify every candidate who paid to have a substitute appear for them and to map out who orchestrated the arrangements at every level. Authorities are treating the matter as organised exam mafia activity rather than isolated cheating.
Five Medical Students Found Among the Arrested
The most striking detail to surface from the arrests is that five of the 24 people in custody are themselves medical students. One of them is said to be associated with PMCH. Authorities suspect that practising doctors or individuals connected to the medical education system may also be part of this network. As a result, the investigation has expanded beyond the exam centers to include the academic and professional contacts of all those arrested. Investigators are also examining whether this same gang was active in previous examinations of a similar kind.
Biometric Verification Agency Employees Detained and Questioned
One of the most sensitive threads of the investigation centres on the private agency hired to record biometric attendance at the exam venues. It emerged that several fake candidates had been allowed inside the centers without completing the full biometric verification process. Following this discovery, seven employees of the agency were taken into custody. As the probe widened, others connected to the agency also came under scrutiny. Police are now trying to determine whether these failures were the result of carelessness or deliberate collusion with the fraud network.
District Collector and SP Personally Take Charge
Recognising the gravity of the situation, senior district officials went directly to the exam centers rather than relying solely on delegated reports. District Collector Shailendra Kumar, Superintendent of Police Prerna Kumar, Sub-Divisional Officer Prabhakar Kumar and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Shivam Kumar personally inspected the sites and questioned both the arrested accused and the detained agency staff for hours. The administration has made it clear that once the investigation concludes, strict legal action will follow against every person found guilty with no exceptions.
Muzaffarpur Gang Ran Telegram Channels Selling Fake Question Papers
Separate from the impersonation racket in Lakhisarai, Muzaffarpur was the site of a fraud of an entirely different kind. A gang there was convincing students that it had obtained the real NEET question paper in advance and could supply it before the exam. With lakhs of students harbouring the dream of a medical college seat, that promise proved potent enough to make many of them part with large sums of money.
The investigation found that the gang operated multiple Telegram groups whose names were carefully crafted to make students believe that a genuine leaked paper was being shared there. Reaching aspirants through social media and messaging platforms, the gang collected hefty amounts and then sent students fake or worthless material in return. Police are now working to trace every branch of this fraud network and identify all those involved.
Inter-State Network Suspected as Probe Widens
Investigators believe the Lakhisarai case does not end at Bihar's borders. The mobile phones, bank transaction records, documents and technical data of all arrested individuals are being examined closely. Officials suspect the network's roots may extend into other states, and the scope of the investigation is being expanded to follow those leads wherever they lead.
