Kanpur: A competitive examination fraud racket involving fake disability certificates and professional helpers was busted in Kanpur, with the STF and Sachendi police arresting four people, including a Gramin Bank recovery manager, during a bank probationary officer examination. The gang allegedly arranged fake disability certificates for healthy candidates to avail the quota and deployed professional solvers to help them clear competitive examinations.During the preliminary Bank PO examination at a centre in Bhailamau, Sachendi, Ashish Kumar arrived as a helper for candidate Avnish Yadav, while Rahul Kumar Sinha arrived for Anuradha Kanaujia. When irregularities surfaced, STF Inspector Gyanendra Kumar Rai questioned them. Rahul pointed towards Ankit Sachan outside the centre, saying he had called him to appear in the examination in place of Anuradha. The STF then took Avnish and Ankit into custody and questioned all four separately.Questioning revealed that Avnish, who was healthy and had studied up to MA, got a fake disability certificate made in 2025 by paying about Rs 1 lakh. The role of Manoj Kumar Yadav and Shamsher alias Sheelu Sachan in getting the certificate made also came to light.Police recovered two mobile phones, a driving licence, MA Geography marksheets and a helper recommendation certificate issued by the CMO’s office from Avnish. He had earlier used solvers in two examinations but failed. In the August 22 examination, Ashish was made his helper for Rs 30,000. His mobile also contained evidence of the amount being sent to Shamsher Singh’s Paytm account, along with conversations with Surjeet Kumar and Manoj Kumar Yadav and examination-related documents.Ashish told police that he had completed postgraduate studies in History and appeared in the UGC NET examination. Along with preparing for competitive examinations, he worked as a paid helper for candidates in the fake disability category. Admit cards, scribe forms and other documents were found on his mobile, while an e-admit card for the Bihar Public Service Commission examination and an admit card for UGC NET June 2026 were recovered from his bag.Ankit, a recovery manager at Gramin Bank in Itara bazaar, told police he had been friends with Anuradha for about seven years. He got her disability certificate made in 2024 by paying Rs 65,000 to help her secure a job through the quota with low merit.On the instructions of Anuradha’s brother, a Rs 10 lakh deal was struck through Rahul Yadav of Jhansi to ensure her success in the August 22 Bank PO examination. An advance of Rs 10,000 each was sent online on August 21 and 22. Anuradha’s Aadhaar card and other documents were recovered from Ankit.Rahul’s mobile phone and iPad contained scribe forms, admit cards, certificates and transaction-related conversations linked to candidates in several competitive examinations. He told police that while preparing for competitive examinations and teaching online coaching in Delhi, he came in contact with people who arranged professional helpers for candidates with fake disability certificates. He then began appearing as a helper for such candidates in one-day competitive examinations.Rahul said Delhi-based Raju Gupta provided him information about disabled candidates. Police found evidence of Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 being sent to Rahul’s account by Raju.The investigation also revealed the names of Shamsher alias Sheelu Sachan, Manoj Kumar Yadav, Surjeet Kumar, Manoranjan, Raju Gupta, Manish Kumar Mishra and Rahul Yadav, among others. Police are probing their roles and determining how many examinations were compromised and how many candidates used the network.DCP West SM Qasim Abidi said the STF arrested Avnish Yadav of Chakeri, Ashish Kumar of Madhubani, Bihar, Rahul Kumar Sinha of Sheikhpura, Bihar, and Ankit Sachan of Barra. A case was registered against all four under the Examination Act and action was being taken.
