The Uttarakhand STF has arrested the mastermind of an organized gang involved in facilitating cheating during the SSC examinations. He is accused of orchestrating cheating activities at the Mahadevi Kanya Pathshala (MKP) examination center located in Dehradun. The STF arrested the accused, Shubham Bhatnagar—a resident of Saharanpur—from Saharanpur on May 4. He had been absconding for a considerable period. Senior Superintendent of Police (STF) Ajay Singh stated that on February 13, 2026, information was received regarding cheating taking place at the Mahadevi Kanya Pathshala examination center during the online examination for Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff and Havildars, conducted by the SSC. The subsequent investigation revealed that candidates were being assisted in cheating through the use of remote access technology, facilitated via the ‘Mahadev Digital Lab’ operating near the examination center. Acting on this information, the STF team uncovered a hidden underground chamber located within the UPS room situated near the examination center. From this chamber, answers were being transmitted to the candidates using various technical devices. Two accused individuals—Nitish Kumar and Bhaskar Naithani—were arrested on the spot, while the gang’s mastermind, Shubham Bhatnagar, managed to flee. Ajay Singh further explained that the accused would extort hefty sums of money from candidates by luring them with the promise of ensuring their success in the examination. The amount charged was determined based on the grade pay associated with the specific post for which the candidate was applying. The gang was generating illicit profits by systematically breaching the examination system in a highly organized manner. An FIR regarding this case was registered at the City Kotwali police station, and the investigation was subsequently entrusted to the STF. Based on continuous technical analysis and intelligence inputs, the STF team successfully apprehended the prime accused. During interrogation, the accused divulged several crucial details, based on which investigations into other members of the gang and their wider network are currently underway. Further arrests in connection with this case are expected shortly. **The Gang Hid Its Secrets Inside a Septic Tank** A hidden chamber was constructed in a corner of the UPS room—located near the examination lab within the ‘Mahadev Digital Zone’ at MKP Inter College. From the outside, it appeared to be nothing more than a standard septic tank; however, concealed within its depths lay a multitude of secrets. The truth came to light in February when the STF conducted an inspection during a raid. Assistance in solving examination questions was being provided directly from inside a chamber. At the time, STF IG Nilesh Anand Bharne claimed that such a case had never surfaced anywhere else in the country before. When the STF arrived at the examination center to take action, they discovered an underground chamber; upon opening it, they found laptops kept inside. This chamber was sealed from above with a lid. The ringleader of the gang accessed the system remotely through this setup. Its leased line had been concealed beneath a layer of cement plaster. The STF removed the plaster and subsequently recovered the illicit server room.
Wednesday, May 6
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