Law student lures NEET aspirants with fake paper sale scam:Extorted money through fraudulent Instagram links; targets 30–35 students

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Indore Crime Branch has arrested a law student for allegedly running an online fraud scheme that targeted NEET aspirants by promising access to examination papers. The accused allegedly posted misleading content on social media claiming he could provide NEET question papers and special study material, and then collected money from students online. He was arrested late on Saturday night. According to the Crime Branch, the accused has been identified as Akshay Malviya, a resident of Angan Shakarkhedi in Lasudia and a first-year student at Indore Law College. A case has been registered against him under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. Action taken following e-mail from Kota police According to officials, Kota Police alerted Indore Police through an e-mail on Saturday regarding the accused’s activities. Following the communication, the SIT led by TI Neeraj Medha launched an operation and arrested Akshay. Fake Instagram Posts Used to Target Students Police investigations revealed that Akshay allegedly circulated misleading posts on Instagram in the run-up to the NEET examination. The posts claimed to offer access to examination papers or exclusive study material. Students who came across the advertisements were directed to a link provided on the accused’s social media profile. They were allegedly required to make an online payment to access the material. After payment, they would receive the purported question paper or study material. Students allegedly misled for financial gain According to the Crime Branch, preliminary investigations show that the accused received payments from approximately 30 to 35 individuals through UPI and other online payment methods. Investigators believe he was using social media platforms to mislead students and generate income through fraudulent means. Accused was already under Cyber police surveillance Police officials said the accused had previously circulated similar misleading posts during the controversy surrounding the cancellation of the NEET examination. As a result, he had already come under the watch of cyber crime authorities. Investigators found that he allegedly modified old question papers and publicly available study material before promoting them online as fresh examination papers. The content could only be accessed after users made payment through the link provided. Probe underway into wider network The Crime Branch is continuing to question the accused. Investigators are now trying to determine whether other individuals were involved in the operation and the total number of people allegedly defrauded. The investigation remains ongoing.