Daijiworld Media Network - Jaipur
Jaipur, Jun 20: In a significant operation ahead of Sunday's re-conducted NEET-UG examination, Bhilwara Police have dismantled a fake question paper racket allegedly run by a 19-year-old youth who used Artificial Intelligence (AI) and online resources to create and sell forged exam papers through Telegram.
The accused, Akash Chaudhary, was arrested on Thursday night, while a minor suspected of assisting him in managing the Telegram group and adding members was taken into custody on Friday. A court has remanded Akash to police custody until June 22.
According to investigators, Akash conceived the plan in the wake of the nationwide controversy over the alleged NEET paper leak and the subsequent cancellation of the examination. Police said he gathered study materials, previous question banks and probable questions from Google and various online platforms.
Authorities alleged that, with the intention of making quick profits, he used AI tools along with self-compiled content to prepare a fake question paper and falsely promoted it as an authentic leaked version.
To market the forged paper, Akash reportedly created a Telegram group called "Paper Mafia", which eventually attracted 54 members, including NEET aspirants from Rajasthan and several other states. Investigators found that seven candidates had purchased the fake paper.
Police said the accused earned nearly Rs 18,000 by charging students between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000 each.
Investigators also revealed that Akash allegedly attempted to conceal his online activities by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connected to a server based in the United States while operating the Telegram channel.
However, the suspicious activities of the group and its provocative name drew the attention of intelligence agencies and local police.
Acting on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, police conducted an operation in Patel Nagar and arrested the accused on Thursday night.
During the raid, officers seized two mobile phones, a bank passbook, NEET preparation material and several notebooks. The confiscated devices are now being examined to determine the full extent of the operation and identify any additional accomplices or beneficiaries.
Akash's family expressed shock over his arrest, describing him as an academically bright student preparing for competitive examinations. Family members claimed his actions were the result of immaturity and poor judgment rather than criminal intent.
According to Sadar Deputy Superintendent of Police Nemichand Chaudhary, Akash Chaudhary, a resident of Patel Nagar in Bhilwara, originally belongs to Churu. His family has been residing in Bhilwara for nearly 25 years, and his father is employed in the RIICO industrial area.
Police said Akash had been preparing for recruitment into the Indian Air Force when he allegedly became involved in the fake paper racket.
The investigation is continuing to determine whether the accused had links to a larger examination fraud network and to identify all those involved in creating, distributing and purchasing the forged question paper.