New Delhi: In a major crackdown, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF) arrested a fraudster who was allegedly leaking police recruitment exam papers through WhatsApp and Telegram groups in Varanasi. The accused, identified as Hans Ranjan Kumar from Khagaria, Bihar, had created multiple groups, posing as Inspector Hansraj, to cheat aspiring candidates. Kumar was charging ₹1,000 from male students and ₹500 from female students for access to these groups, promising to provide the exam papers 24 hours before the test.Scamming approx 35,000 peopleAccording to the UP STF, Kumar had deceived over 35,000 people by creating more than 80 WhatsApp and Telegram groups, targeting candidates appearing for various competitive exams. By monitoring upcoming exams and their centers, he lured unsuspecting students with the false promise of leaked question papers. Once students paid for access, Kumar would later delete the groups after the exams were over, leaving them high and dry.₹20 Lakh recovered in police recruitment scamThe STF investigation revealed that Kumar had amassed over ₹20 lakh from the police recruitment scam alone. During questioning, he confessed to systematically circulating fraudulent information among competitive exam candidates and collecting hefty amounts in exchange for fake question papers. The STF tracked Kumars location through his WhatsApp number and arrested him after laying a strategic trap.Authorities have intensified efforts to ensure that competitive exams are conducted fairly. The police are now actively raising awareness among students to protect them from such scams, encouraging them to rely solely on official channels.
