JAIPUR: Just days ahead of the NEET re-examination scheduled for June 21, police in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district arrested a 19-year-old man on Friday for allegedly circulating and selling fake Re-NEET question papers through social media platforms.
The accused, identified as Akash Chaudhary, allegedly conducted the operation through Telegram, which he accessed using a US-based Virtual Private Network (VPN). He was arrested by Pratapnagar police after reportedly creating a Telegram channel named "Paper Mafia" to sell the fake papers.
Police recovered a mobile phone, a NEET study book and other documents from his possession. Investigators are now probing his network, bank transactions and identifying students who may have been duped.
According to police, Akash was allegedly selling the fake Re-NEET papers for Rs 4,000 each. Pratapnagar Station House Officer (SHO) Sunil Tada said the Special Branch of the Superintendent of Police's office received information through the Government of India's S-Mek portal about suspicious social media activity linked to an alleged exam paper leak.
A case has been registered against the accused on charges of fraud, sale of fake question papers, and violations of the IT Act and the Public Examination Act.
Akash, a science student from Churu district, had completed Class 12 and was preparing for competitive examinations. Police said 52 people were connected to his Telegram channel. His mobile phone has been seized, and investigators found that he had linked his personal bank account QR code to the channel to receive payments. Bank records will be examined to trace transactions.
Police said Akash was allegedly distributing fake Re-NEET question papers online when he was detained and later formally arrested on Friday following preliminary questioning. He is currently being interrogated.
Investigators are also trying to determine whether others were involved and to uncover the full extent of the network.
Recently, authorities ordered a ban on Telegram until June 22 in connection with the NEET re-examination. Officials said the platform was being misused to spread rumours about paper leaks and to defraud students. However, police said the accused circumvented the restrictions by using VPNs and proxy services to access Telegram.
The NEET exam was originally conducted on May 3, 2026, but the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled it on May 12 following reports of paper leaks and irregularities in several states. A re-examination has been scheduled for June 21, while the Telegram ban related to the exam will remain in force until June 22, 2026.