Forged admit cards, proxy candidates: Another NEET scandal unravels in Bihar

Acting swiftly on this input, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed, which identified a vehicle with a Darbhanga registration number moving near NEET centres throughout the day.

“The vehicle was intercepted near Mohanpur Bridge. Upon questioning, the occupants identified themselves as Rambabu Mallik, a resident of Darbhanga, and Dr Ranjit Kumar, a native of Samastipur posted at Begusarai jail,” ASP Pandey said.

According to the police, during interrogation, both men confessed to orchestrating a racket of impersonating candidates of NEET 2025, and their statements are being corroborated with technical evidence.

The ASP said their modus operandi involved replacing genuine candidates with “scholars” (proxy candidates) hired to take the exam.

ASP Pandey said Mallik’s full-time job involved assisting in “admissions to a government college in Darbhanga, which gave him a thorough knowledge of the admission process in medical colleges. This helped in their illicit operations”.

The ASP said their modus operandi involved replacing genuine candidates with “scholars” (proxy candidates) hired to take the exam.

“They admitted to charging hefty sums from the candidates, paying the proxy scholars between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per exam,” the officer said, adding that the accused started forging admit cards “as soon as the application process for NEET UG started”.

“They confessed to forging photographs, identity cards, signatures and Aadhaar cards, swapping the details of genuine candidates with those of proxy candidates,” the ASP said.

A search of their mobile phones uncovered incriminating evidence. “We found extensive communication on WhatsApp, where admit cards, Aadhaar cards, signatures and photographs were being exchanged in groups and with potential accomplices,” the officer said.

He said investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the network. “Based on the details disclosed during questioning (of the accused) and the evidence found on their phones, we are investigating the suspected genuine and proxy candidates. Only after questioning them will we be able to ascertain how many proxy candidates appeared in the exam, if any,” the ASP said.

The accused have been charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections dealing with cheating, cheating by personation, forgery of valuable security, will, etc, using forged documents or electronic records as genuine and criminal conspiracy.

Police have also seized the car used in the operation and Rs 50,000 cash, besides three mobile phones from their possession.