Reported By Saurabh Jagdish Vaktania
The Cyber Crime Branch in Ahmedabad has busted an interstate cyber gang accused of cheating students and parents by falsely promising access to the Re-NEET examination question paper. Police clarified that the case does not involve any actual paper leak but a cyber fraud operation that exploited students preparing for the examination.
According to investigators, the accused used Telegram, Instagram and other social media platforms to circulate advertisements claiming they could provide the Re-NEET question paper and other confidential examination information. Students and parents were allegedly asked to make advance payments in exchange for premium access.
Police have arrested two accused, Sumer Singh Bharat Lal Meena, an ITI graduate from Jaipur, Rajasthan, and Akash Pappulal Meena, a resident of Kota, Rajasthan.
Investigators recovered eight Telegram channels linked to the operation, including one named "Raghav_singh_neet". Through these channels, the accused allegedly offered examination papers and confidential information to prospective victims.
The gang is believed to have used a structured method to build credibility. According to investigators, once a channel gained around 400 premium members, associates of the accused would join posing as successful students and post messages claiming they had received genuine examination material.
Police said the accused created a dedicated Re-NEET group soon after the re-examination was announced and actively targeted anxious students seeking information about the test.
The investigation also uncovered investment-related frauds being run through Telegram channels such as "Trade With Karol" and "Pankaj Bhardwaj", where victims were allegedly lured with promises of high returns.
The accused allegedly inflated membership figures on Telegram channels using third-party services to make their operations appear legitimate. The large member base was then used to attract more victims and generate financial gains.
When victims agreed to pay, they were allegedly directed to transfer money into accounts linked to online gaming platforms rather than personal bank accounts. Investigators believe this method was used to conceal the source and movement of funds.
Police have traced transactions worth nearly ₹1.5 crore. Investigators are examining six key bank accounts that reportedly handled around ₹80 lakh over the past year. So far, 12 complaints from different states have been linked to these accounts.
Preliminary findings suggest that more than 1,000 people may have been targeted by the network, while over 70 individuals were allegedly cheated in the examination-related scam. During the past month alone, the accused are believed to have contacted potential victims using around 250 mobile numbers and multiple Telegram channels.
Police teams are conducting further investigations in Rajasthan and other states to identify additional members of the network and trace the full extent of the operation.
The Cyber Crime Branch has emphasised that no NEET or other examination papers were recovered from the accused. Investigators say the case primarily involves cyber fraud carried out through misleading claims and false promises made to students and parents.
