The Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch has arrested two individuals for allegedly operating multiple Telegram channels and accounts used to circulate misleading posts, messages and advertisements falsely claiming access to the re-NEET examination question paper.
According to officials, the accused sought to attract students and aspirants by advertising purported access to the exam paper through various social media platforms. The arrests followed an investigation into the online dissemination of fake examination-related content, which authorities said had the potential to mislead candidates and their parents, and create panic ahead of the examination.
“It came to light that unknown persons were engaging in criminal activities through Telegram by falsely claiming they could provide the question paper for the re-examination. Through such deceptive inducements, they misled students and their parents and committed financial cyber fraud,” an official statement said.
Police said the accused lured NEET aspirants and their parents with false assurances related to the examination and, under the pretext of providing question papers and other confidential information, collected money from them.
Based on technical and documentary evidence, investigators analysed several Telegram channels and IDs. The probe revealed that one of the accused had created the Telegram channel “Raghav_singh_neet” along with around seven other channels, which were allegedly provided to a Telegram user operating under the name “Private Mafia”.
The accused were identified as Sumer Singh, a resident of Jaipur, and Akash, a resident of Kota, Rajasthan.
Further investigation revealed that the duo was also allegedly involved in investment-related fraud through Telegram channels, IDs and other social media platforms. Police said they used channels and groups such as “Trade With Karol” and “PANKAJ BHARDWAJ” to lure people into investing money by promising high returns and substantial profits. Digital evidence, online transaction records, bank account details and electronic devices have been examined as part of the probe.
While no material related to NEET or any other examination was recovered from their possession, investigators found that 12 complaints from different states were linked to six bank accounts operated by the accused.
According to police, the accused collected details of bank accounts used on gaming websites and routed fraudulently obtained money through them to conceal the source of the illicit funds. The money was subsequently transferred to multiple accounts through gaming platforms.
Investigators found that transactions worth approximately Rs 1.5 crore had been carried out through various bank accounts linked to the accused.
The probe also revealed that nearly 1,000 mobile numbers and Telegram channels had been contacted in the last month. Police further found that the accused had created around 44 websites allegedly used for gaming, betting, gambling and cyber fraud activities.
Further investigation is underway.
