Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police bust two networks running NEET scams

In a major crackdown, law enforcement agencies have busted two separate fraud networks targeting medical aspirants. The Cyber Crime Branch of the Ahmedabad City Police uncovered a Telegram scam falsely promising leaked NEET-UG 2026 re-exam papers, and in a separate case, a 19-year-old from Bihar allegedly hacked hundreds of student accounts to steal their NEET-UG refunds.

In the first case, the police have arrested two key suspects in Rajasthan — Sumer Singh from Jaipur and Akash Meena from Kota — for running a cyber fraud network that swindled unassuming persons. 

According to the police, the accused created a network of Telegram channels, including one named “Raghav_Singh_NEET” and seven others, which they later handed over to an anonymous Telegram user operating under the alias “Private Mafia”. Using these channels, the duo circulated highly deceptive posts and advertisements claiming they possessed the confidential NEET re-exam question papers. To appear legitimate, the scammers used third-party apps to artificially inflate their subscriber count, boosting premium memberships to lure unsuspecting parents and students into a false sense of security.

Investigation revealed that no material related to the NEET or any other exam was ever recovered from the accused. It was an entirely fabricated scheme to induce online payments via QR (quick response) codes and direct bank transfers.

Digital forensics and nternet Protocol (IP) address tracking exposed a highly complex financial web. Over the last month alone, the suspects contacted approximately 1,000 mobile numbers and Telegram channels, executing transactions worth ₹1.5 crore.

To conceal the illicit origin of the funds, the scammers also ran investment fraud operations, promising high returns. They routed the extorted money through bank accounts linked to online gaming websites, layered the funds across multiple accounts belonging to different individuals, and ultimately withdrew the cash through associates for personal gain.

So far, 12 complaints across different States have been officially linked to six primary bank accounts used by the accused. They have been booked under Sections 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by personation), and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.

Second case

In the other case, authorities tracked a 19-year-old suspect, Navin Kumar, to Bihar for executing a massive digital heist targeting individual student accounts. Mr. Kumar reportedly targeted the official NEET-UG 2026 portal accounts of 350 candidates.

Out of the 350 targeted candidates, 150 had set weak, simple passwords. Mr. Kumar stole the NEET exam application numbers and passwords of these candidates to gain unauthorised access to their profiles. Upon identifying students who were eligible for exam-related financial refunds, he altered their profile settings —replacing the students’ legitimate bank details with his own — in a fraudulent attempt to intercept the refund amounts.

Following these arrests, authorities have advised students and parents not to trust Telegram channels, social media advertisements, or posts claiming to provide advance question papers, change exam results, or guarantee admissions. Candidates must use strong, complex passwords for competitive exam portals to prevent unauthorised access. Authorities have also urged people not engage in financial transactions based on unverified online messages. Any suspicious online activity or cyber fraud should be reported immediately to the National Cyber Helpline Number (1930) or via the official cybercrime portal.

Admit cards

Meanwhile, around four lakh candidates have downloaded their admit cards for the NEET-UG re-exam on June 21, the National Testing Agency stated on Monday (June 15, 2026). “We are aware that some of you are facing technical glitches or server issues in accessing your admit cards. Our teams have been working towards resolving these issues, the NTA stated.