Fake test, Rs 30k letter: Bihar man lands at IAS academy in Mussoorie only to realise he’s been duped; FIR registered

DEHRADUN: A youngster from Bihar, misled by forged Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) results and a fake selection letter, reached the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie with his parents to begin training as an IAS officer, only to discover he had been duped by cybercriminals.Pushpesh Singh, 28, a resident of Saran district working for a private company in Gurgaon, told police he was contacted by unknown persons claiming to be from UPSC. They conducted a fake online exam, declared him selected, and shared a forged merit list and training schedule on WhatsApp. Convinced, he paid Rs 30,000 to the accused before travelling to Mussoorie with his family.LBSNAA officials stopped Pushpesh at the entrance and alerted Mussoorie police after spotting discrepancies in the documents.

A team reached the spot and upon verifying the documents and questioning him, found he had fallen prey to an elaborate scam. The local intelligence unit and Intelligence Bureau (IB) were also informed.Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajai Singh said, "The documents appeared genuine at first glance, with official stamps and rank listings." The SSP added that since the fraud occurred while Pushpesh was in Gurgaon, police registered a zero FIR under BNS section 318(4) (cheating) at the Mussoorie police station.

"The case has been transferred to Gurgaon police which will now carry out the investigation in the case," said the SSP. The case follows a pattern of similar cybercrimes targeting civil service aspirants, particularly those from smaller towns. In May 2023, Jharkhand police uncovered a racket offering fake IPS postings for Rs 2 lakh. In most such cases, victims are lured with fabricated examinations, results, and appointment letters designed to resemble official UPSC documents.The UPSC has issued repeated advisories asking candidates to verify results and communication only through its official website. Despite this, police say that many aspirants remain vulnerable to online scams due to the prestige attached to these services. "Pushpesh holds a degree and had no doubts about the documents. He had no reason to suspect anything was wrong until he was turned away at the academy's gate," said an officer who is part of the inquiry.