Fake NEET-UG Question Paper Racket Busted: 19-Year-Old Held for Running Telegram Scam Ahead of Re-Exam

Just two days before the scheduled medical entrance re-examination, police in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district arrested a 19-year-old science student on Friday for allegedly circulating and selling fake Re-NEET question papers. The accused operated a specialized channel on Telegram and bypassed local government restrictions on the messaging application by using a United States-based Virtual Private Network (VPN).

The suspect, identified as Akash Chaudhary, a resident of Churu district who was himself preparing for competitive exams, was apprehended by the Pratapnagar police. Investigators revealed that Chaudhary had established a Telegram channel named "Paper Mafia" to lure desperate students, offering what he claimed were leaked question papers for ₹4,000 each. How To Spot Authentic NEET-UG 2026 Re-Exam WhatsApp, SMS and Email Alerts.

The breakthrough came after the Special Branch of the Bhilwara Superintendent of Police’s office intercepted suspicious online activity flagged via the Central Government's S-Mek digital portal. Acting on the intelligence, police detained Chaudhary while he was actively managing the digital group, which had already amassed 52 members.

"We have registered a formal case under relevant provisions of the Public Examination Act, the Information Technology (IT) Act, and charges pertaining to fraud and the distribution of fake examination materials," said Sunil Tada, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Pratapnagar.

Law enforcement officials recovered a mobile phone, a NEET preparation textbook, and several related documents during the raid. Preliminary digital forensics indicate that Chaudhary had integrated his personal bank account QR code directly into the Telegram channel to seamlessly collect digital payments from buyers. Police are currently auditing his financial statements to identify how many candidates fell victim to the scam. NEET-UG 2026 Re-Examination: 16 Lakh Candidates Download Admit Cards; NTA Deploys Indian Air Force for Secure Paper Transportation Ahead of June 21 Test.

The arrest highlights the ongoing battle with digital exam fraud, occurring during a government-imposed ban on Telegram across several regions. The restriction, active until June 22, was explicitly put in place to curb the proliferation of fraudulent paper leaks and exam-related rumors. However, authorities noted that Chaudhary easily circumvented the digital block using proxy servers and VPN routing.

This development follows immense scrutiny over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The initial nationwide test conducted on May 3, 2026, was officially voided by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 12 following widespread irregularities and localized paper leaks across multiple states. The high-stakes re-examination is slated to take place this Sunday, June 21, 2026, under heightened security protocols.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2026 06:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).