DEHRADUN: In a significant breakthrough, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF)’s Cyber Crime team has arrested three youths from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly hacking the “SchoolPad” digital platform of a school and defrauding parents and students.
The arrested individuals have been identified as 19-year-old Mohammad Rizwan of Mullapur village, Sudama Diwakar of Akashpuram, and Mohammad Faraz of Bankhana. Authorities recovered four mobile phones used in the crime, two bank passbooks, and three SIM cards from their possession.
According to STF officials, the cybercriminals carried out the fraud by creating a sophisticated fake application and sending deceptive messages. The complaint was lodged by the DIS City Campus in July 2023 after it was discovered that the official “SchoolPad” app had been compromised.
Students and parents began receiving fraudulent messages demanding a fee of Rs 4,990 for an “AI-enabled Robotics Lab.” The messages appeared so authentic that many parents transferred money to the provided bank accounts.
Investigations revealed that the accused had meticulously replicated the “SchoolPad” app and technically breached the original platform to steal data of students from all three DIS branches — City Campus, Riverside, and Mohali. Using this stolen data, they sent official-looking fake messages to parents, urging them to pay the bogus fees.
The cyber team conducted a rigorous technical investigation, analysing platform data, bank accounts, mobile numbers, WhatsApp messages, and information from related companies. This analysis revealed transactions worth crores of rupees in the fraudulent bank accounts linked to the scam, indicating a wider network of financial crime.
Further checks showed that Mohammad Rizwan already faces serious charges under the IT Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Sudama Diwakar also has a prior case from 2023 related to theft and receiving stolen property.
The swift investigation, led by STF Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh, was crucial in identifying and arresting the culprits.
Cautioning the public, SSP Navneet Singh said, “People should not fall for unknown links, suspicious websites, or investment schemes. Always verify the authenticity of any digital communication, especially those asking for money or personal details.”