NEET UG solver gang probe: Jharkhand link emerges after fake candidate arrest
Jharkhand has emerged as a link in the alleged NEET UG solver gang case, with two women from Giridih and Palamu arrested in Lakhisarai. A former JAC topper, Poonam Kumari, was caught during biometric verification for allegedly appearing for another candidate. Investigations are underway to trace the gang's network and motives.
Jharkhand has once again surfaced in connection with alleged irregularities in the NEET exam and links to a "solver gang." Poonam, a fake NEET candidate arrested in Lakhisarai, hails from Giridih, Jharkhand. Her parents claim that their daughter was trapped by the gang.
Earlier, Hazaribagh had emerged as the epicentre of the NEET UG 2024 paper leak case. Now, two alleged members of a solver gang arrested in Lakhisarai have been linked to Jharkhand: Poonam Kumari from the Birni police station area in Giridih and Chanchal Kumari from Hariharganj in Palamu.
JHARKHAND CONNECTION EMERGES
Poonam was previously a topper in the Intermediate Science examination conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) and is currently pursuing a nursing course at BHU. Meanwhile, Chanchal, a resident of Palamu, is pursuing a BAMS course at a government college in Odisha.
Poonam’s alleged impersonation was exposed during the biometric verification process, which revealed that she had appeared for the exam on behalf of another candidate.
Members of the alleged solver gang were arrested during the NEET UG exam. Among those arrested was Poonam Kumari, a resident of Kharti village under the Birni police station area in Giridih district.
Currently studying nursing at BHU, Poonam’s arrest has left her family distressed. Her father, Baleshwar Sharma, and mother, Malti Devi, are struggling to come to terms with the situation. Her mother broke down in tears and said that she did not know the matter.
Poonam’s father, Baleshwar Sharma, said that he is a carpenter and added that his daughter is academically brilliant. He stated that his daughter had topped the Intermediate Science examination in Jharkhand during the 2021–22 academic session.
She had enrolled at BHU, Varanasi, in August 2025 and was preparing for a nursing course. He had spoken to her on Saturday evening, when she told him that she was going to appear for the NEET exam. However, when he called again on Sunday evening, her mobile phone was switched off.
FAMILY CLAMS SHE WAS TRAPPED
Meanwhile, he learned through the media that his daughter had been detained in Lakhisarai. Baleshwar said he was unaware of why his daughter took such a step and believed that she may have been influenced or trapped by a gang.
He added that his daughter had been living in a hostel for her studies for several years and had not visited home for the past eight or nine months.
Investigating agencies are now trying to piece together how Poonam and Chanchal came into contact with the “solver gang” and whether they had any prior association with the group.
PROBE UNDERWAY INTO SOLVER GANG
They are investigating whether the women were offered any inducements, whether they had engaged in such activities previously, and how much money was paid for appearing in an exam on behalf of another person.
The investigating agency is currently focused on finding answers to these questions and thoroughly scrutinising the backgrounds of the two arrested impostor candidates.
(Inputs from Satyajit)
Jharkhand has once again surfaced in connection with alleged irregularities in the NEET exam and links to a "solver gang." Poonam, a fake NEET candidate arrested in Lakhisarai, hails from Giridih, Jharkhand. Her parents claim that their daughter was trapped by the gang.
Earlier, Hazaribagh had emerged as the epicentre of the NEET UG 2024 paper leak case. Now, two alleged members of a solver gang arrested in Lakhisarai have been linked to Jharkhand: Poonam Kumari from the Birni police station area in Giridih and Chanchal Kumari from Hariharganj in Palamu.
JHARKHAND CONNECTION EMERGES
Poonam was previously a topper in the Intermediate Science examination conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) and is currently pursuing a nursing course at BHU. Meanwhile, Chanchal, a resident of Palamu, is pursuing a BAMS course at a government college in Odisha.
Poonam’s alleged impersonation was exposed during the biometric verification process, which revealed that she had appeared for the exam on behalf of another candidate.
Members of the alleged solver gang were arrested during the NEET UG exam. Among those arrested was Poonam Kumari, a resident of Kharti village under the Birni police station area in Giridih district.
Currently studying nursing at BHU, Poonam’s arrest has left her family distressed. Her father, Baleshwar Sharma, and mother, Malti Devi, are struggling to come to terms with the situation. Her mother broke down in tears and said that she did not know the matter.
Poonam’s father, Baleshwar Sharma, said that he is a carpenter and added that his daughter is academically brilliant. He stated that his daughter had topped the Intermediate Science examination in Jharkhand during the 2021–22 academic session.
She had enrolled at BHU, Varanasi, in August 2025 and was preparing for a nursing course. He had spoken to her on Saturday evening, when she told him that she was going to appear for the NEET exam. However, when he called again on Sunday evening, her mobile phone was switched off.
FAMILY CLAMS SHE WAS TRAPPED
Meanwhile, he learned through the media that his daughter had been detained in Lakhisarai. Baleshwar said he was unaware of why his daughter took such a step and believed that she may have been influenced or trapped by a gang.
He added that his daughter had been living in a hostel for her studies for several years and had not visited home for the past eight or nine months.
Investigating agencies are now trying to piece together how Poonam and Chanchal came into contact with the “solver gang” and whether they had any prior association with the group.
PROBE UNDERWAY INTO SOLVER GANG
They are investigating whether the women were offered any inducements, whether they had engaged in such activities previously, and how much money was paid for appearing in an exam on behalf of another person.
The investigating agency is currently focused on finding answers to these questions and thoroughly scrutinising the backgrounds of the two arrested impostor candidates.
(Inputs from Satyajit)
