Lucknow/Muzaffarpur: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), Lucknow, has arrested a wanted accused involved in an alleged online fraud racket linked to the Uttar Pradesh Home Guard recruitment examination conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board.
The accused, identified as Nikhil Thakur, was arrested from Muzaffarpur district in Bihar on May 1, 2026, in connection with a case registered at Hussainganj Police Station in Lucknow.
According to STF officials, the accused was wanted in a case registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Ordinance, and the Information Technology Act.
Nikhil Thakur, son of Mukesh Kumar Thakur, is a resident of Yajuar West village under Jajuar police station area in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.
The STF recovered two mobile phones from his possession during the arrest.
Officials stated that the Uttar Pradesh Home Guard written examination was conducted across various districts of the state on April 25, 26, and 27, 2026. Prior to the examination, a case of alleged fraud through Telegram channels surfaced, following which an FIR was registered at Hussainganj Police Station on April 24, 2026.
Following intelligence inputs and surveillance operations conducted under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police Sudhanshu Shekhar, STF teams were assigned to trace and arrest those involved in the alleged racket.
A team comprising Sub-Inspector Narendra Singh, Sub-Inspector Nitin Yadav, and constables Avneesh Yadav, Pushp Kumar, and Rajesh Tiwari reached Muzaffarpur for intelligence gathering. Acting on information received from informers and surveillance inputs, the STF located and arrested the accused from the Jajuar East Library area.
During interrogation, Nikhil Thakur allegedly confessed that he and his associate Siddharth Mishra used Telegram channels to mislead candidates before competitive examinations and extort money by promising assistance related to exams. According to the STF, the accused used UPI IDs and QR codes to collect money from victims through fraudulent means.
Investigators further stated that the Telegram channel and virtual numbers used in the operation were allegedly managed by Siddharth Mishra.
The accused has been brought to Lucknow for further legal proceedings, while investigation into the wider network and other possible associates is continuing.
