Interstate Telegram fraud network exploiting RE-NEET aspirants busted; 3 arrested

The cyber cell of crime branch of Ahmedabad has arrested three alleged cyber fraudsters in two separate investigations linked to the NEET-UG examination, exposing an interstate network that allegedly exploited students and parents through fake Telegram channels and attempted to siphon refund money from candidates' accounts.

Fake RE-NEET paper scam

In the first case, the Cyber Crime Branch arrested two Rajasthan residents accused of operating multiple Telegram channels that falsely claimed to provide question papers for the purported "RE-NEET" examination.

The accused have been identified as Sumersingh Bharatlal Meena of Jaipur and Akash Pappulal Meena of Kota. According to investigators, they allegedly created several Telegram channels, including Raghav_singh_neet, NEET Raghav Sir Original, Student Money Help, Trade With Karol, Pankaj Bhardwaj, Deepak Wadhwa and others, to lure students and parents with fraudulent promises of advance access to examination papers.

Police said the accused circulated misleading advertisements and messages on Telegram and other social media platforms, claiming they possessed confidential examination material. Victims were allegedly persuaded to transfer money through online payment platforms, QR codes and bank accounts in exchange for fake question papers and other purported confidential information.

Investigators said the accused also artificially inflated the membership of their Telegram channels using third-party applications before attempting to sell the channels for financial gain.

During the investigation, the Cyber Crime Branch analysed Telegram accounts, mobile numbers, IP addresses and other digital evidence, leading to the identification and arrest of the two accused.

Further inquiries revealed that the duo allegedly operated investment fraud schemes through Telegram groups such as Trade With Karol and Pankaj Bharadwaj, promising investors unusually high returns. Police said six bank accounts linked to the accused have been connected to 12 cyber fraud complaints registered in different states.

Investigators also found that the accused allegedly channelled fraud proceeds through bank accounts associated with gaming platforms to conceal the money trail before withdrawing the funds through associates. Preliminary findings indicate transactions worth approximately ₹1.5 crore across various bank accounts.

Police said the accused had created around eight Telegram channels related to NEET and as many as 44 websites allegedly used for gaming, betting and cyber fraud. No genuine NEET study material or examination-related documents were recovered during the investigation.

Bihar student held for attempting to divert NEET refunds

In a separate case, the Cyber Crime Branch arrested a 19-year-old BSc student from Bihar for allegedly attempting to divert refund payments of around 150 NEET candidates into his own bank account.

The accused, identified as Navinkumar Shankar Prasad Yadav of Gaya district, allegedly targeted approximately 350 NEET candidates by exploiting weak passwords on their examination portal accounts.

According to police, the accused used brute-force techniques to gain unauthorised access to candidate accounts with simple passwords. After changing the passwords, he allegedly replaced the candidates' bank account details with his own to receive refund amounts processed through the NEET portal.

The fraud came to light after the National Testing Agency's Chief Information Security Officer detected suspicious digital activity through the portal's security monitoring systems and shared technical evidence with the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch. Investigators traced the digital footprint to Bihar and arrested the accused.

Police said the case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

Issuing an advisory, the Cyber Crime Branch urged students and parents not to trust Telegram channels, social media posts or online advertisements claiming to provide examination papers, guaranteed admissions or result manipulation services.

Officials also appealed to citizens to report any suspected cyber fraud immediately through the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.