Delhi Police have arrested three people for allegedly extracting and selling copyrighted UPSC study material through an instant messaging platform, following an investigation into the unauthorised distribution of educational content from a coaching platform.
The action followed a complaint filed by Sunil Kumar, director of a UPSC coaching platform, who alleged that more than 2,400 educational videos from his online coaching application had been unlawfully extracted and uploaded for sale. Police said the coaching platform, launched around three years ago, serves more than four lakh students through social media and a dedicated mobile application introduced in 2023. The app hosts over 2,500 educational videos, including both paid and free courses.
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Copyrighted Content Allegedly Sold Through Messaging Platform
According to police, the complainant discovered on March 10 that a substantial portion of his copyrighted study material had been leaked and was being sold through an online messaging application, resulting in significant financial and reputational losses.
A case was registered at the Cyber Police Station in North district, and a special investigation team was constituted to probe the allegations. During the investigation, police traced multiple user IDs and linked mobile numbers, some of which were registered in Ethiopia and Bangladesh, indicating that the accused allegedly attempted to conceal their identities using foreign virtual numbers.
Technical Investigation Leads to Three Arrests
Police said technical surveillance and analysis of IP logs led to the arrest of Yuvraj Singh, 21, from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh on June 5. During questioning, he allegedly admitted to extracting study material using a bot and selling it through Telegram channels while receiving payments into his bank accounts.
Further investigation led police to Faridabad in Haryana, where Niranjan Kumar Mandal, 23, who allegedly developed the Telegram bot used for the extraction, and Shubham Kumar Pandey, 28, who allegedly provided logistical and internet support, were arrested on June 8.
Police Probe Wider Piracy Network
Investigators alleged that the accused used fake online messaging application IDs, forged credentials and anonymous digital wallets to avoid detection. Police said they identified multiple bank accounts and digital wallets linked to the accused, with transactions amounting to around ₹35 lakh, indicating large-scale proceeds from the illegal sale of leaked educational content.
Police suspect the group may also have been involved in pirating and distributing study material belonging to several other coaching institutes. During the operation, investigators recovered four mobile phones, a laptop, four SIM cards, two passbooks, a debit card and a Wi-Fi router. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and trace its wider links.
