The investigation into the alleged circulation of Class 10 board examination papers on the messaging platform Telegram has revealed that the accused used a technical manipulation to create a false impression that he had access to the question paper before the exam, said Krushikesh Rawale, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1).
According to the investigation report, the accused Chaitanya Vinod Shende (18) disclosed his method of operation during interrogation.
Rawale said the accused exploited a feature on Telegram that allows a previously uploaded file to be replaced without changing the original upload timestamp. When the file is replaced, only the content changes, and the message shows an “Edited” remark, while the original time remains visible.
How the scam worked
During questioning, the accused told police that he followed a specific sequence to deceive people.
- Uploading a file in advance: One day before the scheduled examination, he would upload a password-protected PDF file in a Telegram group.
- Making false claims: He then posted messages claiming that he could provide the upcoming exam question paper for Rs 600.
- Collecting money: Interested individuals would send money, believing the paper was genuine.
- Blocking victims: After receiving the payment, the accused would immediately block the victims.
- Replacing the file later: Once the examination was over and the actual question paper became available, he would replace the previously uploaded password-protected file with the real question paper.
False impression of paper leak
DCP Rawale said this file replacement technique created a misleading timeline. Because the upload time remained unchanged, it appeared that the question paper had been shared before the exam began, giving the impression that the paper had been leaked.
Last year, the accused was cheated with the same modus operandi, said Rawale. "Angry over being cheated, the accused planned and created a channel on Telegram. Telegram has an option to replace a PDF, and accordingly, he replaced the dummy PDF he had uploaded in the group with the real question paper after the exam to gain the trust of the people who had joined the group. A total of 255 people had joined the group. How many people transferred money is part of the investigation, and action will be taken accordingly."
Meanwhile, the matter is under further investigation.
