Kuchaman City: Rajasthan Police have arrested the alleged mastermind of an interstate cybercrime syndicate accused of orchestrating a multi-crore scholarship fraud through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). The accused, Imran Ali alias Sarju, was apprehended in West Bengal. He was carrying a reward of ₹21,000. Three other alleged members of the syndicate had already been arrested, while investigators are continuing to trace the remaining network and examine its financial transactions.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly exploited the National Scholarship Portal during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic sessions by fraudulently claiming scholarships meant for minority students. The syndicate is accused of creating records of nearly 150 fictitious students under the names of around 25 educational institutions in the Didwana-Kuchaman district and diverting scholarship funds into bank accounts under its control. The case came to light after the Minority Welfare Department lodged a complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR at Didwana Police Station. Related cases were subsequently registered at Makrana and Nawa police stations.
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A Special Investigation Team (SIT) launched a technical investigation involving digital evidence, financial transactions and bank account analysis to identify those behind the fraud. Based on the findings, investigators tracked the alleged kingpin to West Bengal, where he was arrested. Police said the accused had been absconding for an extended period and was wanted in connection with the scholarship scam.
Searches conducted at the accused’s premises led to the seizure of a large quantity of digital and forensic evidence allegedly linked to the operation of the fraud network. Recovered items include 105 SIM cards, forged institutional seals, fake educational receipts, cloned fingerprints, a fingerprint scanner, mobile payment terminals, cameras, laptop chargers and a multi-SIM mobile handset capable of operating four SIM cards simultaneously. Investigators believe these tools were used to create fake identities, facilitate fraudulent banking transactions and withdraw scholarship funds.
Earlier, police had arrested three other alleged members of the syndicate—Zuber Alam, Mansoor Alam and MD Munna Mustak. Investigators are now examining digital devices, financial records and statements obtained during interrogation to identify additional accomplices and determine the full extent of the network.
Preliminary findings suggest that the syndicate allegedly collected information relating to closed or inactive educational institutions before registering fictitious students on the National Scholarship Portal. Bank account details, including allegedly purchased or fraudulently obtained accounts, were then linked to the fake beneficiary records. Once scholarship payments were released, the money was reportedly withdrawn through Customer Service Points (CSPs) and other banking channels before being distributed among members of the syndicate. Investigators are also examining whether similar operations were carried out in other states.
Cybersecurity experts say the case highlights the need for stronger digital verification of scholarship beneficiaries, regular audits of educational institutions and real-time monitoring of suspicious banking activity associated with government welfare schemes. According to a Researcher at Algoritha Security associated with the Future Crime Research Foundation, organised cybercriminal groups increasingly rely on forged digital identities, cloned biometric credentials, mule bank accounts and large numbers of SIM cards to exploit government benefit programmes. The researcher noted that AI-driven risk analysis, real-time data validation and stronger integration between government databases could significantly reduce the risk of such organised cyber-enabled financial fraud.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
