Santosh Kumar Jaiswal, the son of a cinema hall operator from Motihari in Bihar, rose to become a politician with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and allegedly masterminded a massive admission fraud network. His significant rise is now under intense scrutiny following his arrest by the Delhi Police.
The Alleged Fraud Network
Police have identified the 50-year-old Jaiswal as the alleged mastermind behind a racket that targeted NEET aspirants and their families. The fraud involved false promises of securing MBBS admissions through leaked questions and manipulated examination arrangements. Jaiswal was arrested on May 4, a day after the NEET exam concluded.
The case came to light after police received inputs from Surat police on May 2 regarding suspicious activity linked to NEET-UG admissions. Acting on technical surveillance, police teams from the crime branch raided several hotels in Mahipalpur and tracked down suspects operating from Delhi-NCR.
Modus Operandi
Investigators said the accused lured parents into paying between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 30 lakh for guaranteed medical seats. Students were allegedly taken away from their guardians and housed in hotels and flats ahead of the exam on the pretext of being given important questions that were likely to appear in the question paper. Based on Jaiswal's interrogation, police tracked down nearly 20 aspirants, some of them minors, from hotels and flats in Ghaziabad.
Evidence Seized
The cops also seized blank signed cheques, original Class X and XII marksheets of candidates, and 149 pages of compiled question-answer material allegedly prepared for the operation. A doctor trained in Kyrgyzstan, a property dealer, and a Surat-based broker were arrested in connection with the case.
Background of the Accused
Originally from Baswariya village in Motihari, Jaiswal came from a financially modest family. His father worked as an operator in a local cinema hall before losing employment after technological changes in the industry. After moving to Patna for studies, investigators believe Jaiswal got in touch with organised exam fraud operators and later expanded his network through political and business connections.
Sources said that earlier Jaiswal attempted to expand his presence in political circles and was associated with election activities in Bihar. In Delhi, he allegedly operated a pathology lab business. He reportedly acquired several properties, including a bungalow in East of Kailash, police said.
