'It's shocking how easily technology was used to manipulate photo IDs and fool verification officers.'
The Lucknow police have uncovered a cheating racket that mimicked the style of exam fraud seen in the first Munnabhai film, where real candidates were replaced by professional impersonators to sit for competitive exams.
The scam came to light during the recent IBPS Clerk examination held in the city.
It all began with a tip-off.
Officials from the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), an autonomous body responsible for recruiting candidates in the banking sector, raised suspicion over a candidate named Abhishek Kumar, who was appearing for the clerical level exam.
Something about him didn't match the records.
Acting on the alert, the venue coordinating officer was summoned.
A swift check confirmed the worst -- the real applicant was Gaurav Aditya, but someone else, Abhishek Kumar, was writing the exam in his place.
As the police interrogated the impersonator, the scam started to unravel.
"He broke down during questioning," says Nipun Agarwal, deputy commissioner pf police, Lucknow South, who is heading the investigation.
"We discovered an interstate gang of 10 people operating a cheating network using technology and fake identities to secure bank jobs for paying clients."
At the centre of the operation is a man named Rohit, identified as the main broker.
Rohit arranged for the fake candidates, or 'solvers', who would take exams on behalf of the real applicants.
Each deal was facilitated for a hefty sum -- Rs 2 lakh per exam.
The mastermind Anand Kumar, the police say, specifically targeted aspirants applying for jobs in banks. He himself worked in the UP Grameen Bank in Sambhal.
Another accused in the scam is Bhagirath Sharma, currently working at the Grameen Bank in Moradabad.
According to the police, the selected candidates did indeed land jobs through this illegal route.
But how did the impostors manage to get past photo verification?
That's where technology came in.
Using advanced apps like Remini AI, Fotor, and even ChatGPT for identity scripting, the gang digitally morphed the faces of the solvers to resemble the original candidates.
Once they achieved a 70 percent resemblance, the fake candidate was cleared to appear for the test.
"It's shocking how easily technology was used to manipulate photo IDs and fool verification officers," says DCP Agarwal. "We caught 10 people red-handed at the exam centre itself."
The motive, the police say, is simple -- greed. The applicants wanted jobs without making the effort, and the solvers were lured by money.
The gang operated across state lines, with members hailing from Bihar and Uttarakhand. Authorities are now digging into their past to see if they were involved in similar frauds elsewhere.
The bust has raised serious concerns about security protocols in computer-based exams.
"As everything is moving online, examiners must be extra vigilant," warned DCP Agarwal. "Original Aadhaar cards must be matched carefully with exam IDs. A close look can prevent such impersonation attempts."
The investigation is ongoing, and the police believe more such rackets may be active across the country.
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