Lucknow: The Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested three persons for allegedly running an online scam that targeted candidates appearing for the UP Police Sub-Inspector Recruitment Examination 2025 by falsely claiming access to the examination question paper.
According to an official press note issued by the STF headquarters in Lucknow on March 14, the arrests were made following a coordinated operation in Sawai Madhopur.
Accused Identified
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
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Sumit Meena alias Loda, son of Shaitan Singh, resident of Baurif Police Station Kotwali area, Sawai Madhopur district, Rajasthan
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Shahil, son of Abdul Kalam, resident of Sheopur Khandar Road, Sawai Madhopur city, Rajasthan
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Sajid, son of Abdul Aziz, resident of Neem Chowki Visaiti Mohalla, Sawai Madhopur city, Rajasthan
Police also recovered a Vivo mobile phone from the possession of Shahil during the operation.
Monitoring of Social Media Leads to Crackdown
Officials said the STF and the Social Media Cell of the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board had been closely monitoring online platforms to prevent malpractice in the recruitment examination.
During surveillance on Telegram, investigators noticed suspicious channels operating under names such as:
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UP SI UP POLICE-2026
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RESULT PANEL PVT TM
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UP SI EXAM PAPER UP SI-2026
These channels allegedly circulated messages claiming that the written examination question paper for the Sub-Inspector recruitment exam would be made available in advance for payment.
FIR Registered and Investigation Begins
Based on technical evidence and intelligence inputs, an FIR (Case No. 05/2026) was registered on March 13, 2026, at the Cyber Police Station in Sawai Madhopur under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act.
Following this, an STF team led by Inspector Yatindra Sharma, along with Head Constables Dinesh Gautam and Vivek Kumar Singh and other personnel, conducted raids with the assistance of local police and arrested the three accused on March 14 at around 7:49 PM.
How the Fraud Network Operated
During interrogation, the accused revealed details about the scam network.
Shahil admitted that around 15–20 days earlier he had been contacted by Sajid, who asked him to arrange SIM cards and bank account kits. Sajid allegedly paid him ₹5,000 for the task. Shahil then opened bank accounts in different banks and purchased SIM cards, which were handed over to Sajid.
Sajid, in turn, told investigators that he had been contacted by Sumit Meena, who offered him ₹13,500 in exchange for providing SIM cards and bank account kits. These were later supplied to another individual named Sumer Singh Meena, who is suspected of operating a Telegram group called “Ruselt Panel” to cheat aspirants by collecting money on the promise of leaked exam papers.
Ongoing Probe
Police officials said the arrested accused were part of a wider network involved in cheating candidates through social media platforms. Further investigation is underway to identify additional suspects and determine the full extent of the fraud.
Authorities have urged candidates to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to claims of leaked question papers or guaranteed results circulated online.
The STF reiterated that strict monitoring of digital platforms will continue to ensure the fairness and transparency of the UP Police recruitment examination process.
