Dehradun, July 23, 2026 (Doon Horizon).
Dehradun police launched a massive crackdown on the copying mafia today, arresting an assistant professor from Shivalik College of Engineering in Jhajra for leaking university exam papers. Ashish Kumar Gupta is currently behind bars for distributing confidential questions on a WhatsApp group ahead of the official exam date. Investigators are now scanning his seized electronic devices to track the complete distribution chain.
The arrest stems from a formal complaint filed by Dr. Vinay Kumar Patel. The Controller of Examinations at Veer Madhav Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU) submitted a written application to the Premnagar Kotwali. Police immediately registered FIR No. 144/26 against the 40-year-old faculty member. The charges fall heavily under Sections 316, 318 (4), and 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Timeline of the Breach
University officials received an anonymous email blowing the lid off the operation. The tip-off revealed that Gupta shared highly critical questions on July 3, 2026, directly targeting students on a private WhatsApp group and an internal student portal. The actual even-semester examination was scheduled for July 8, 2026. UTU management quickly formed an internal investigative committee to match the leaked material with the sealed question papers.
The internal committee found massive similarities between Gupta’s forwarded texts and the final July 8 exam paper. The assistant professor deliberately breached the confidential university examination system to provide an illicit advantage to specific students. SSP Dehradun issued strict directives to gather digital evidence rapidly and secure the suspect before any data could be wiped.
Midnight Raid and Police Action
The 40-year-old accused originally hails from Shakumbhari Vihar in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The investigating officer collected witness testimonies and documentary evidence before executing the arrest at the private educational institute. A heavy police team executed the raid, led by SSI Mukesh Thaledi of Premnagar Kotwali and Bidholi Chowki Incharge SI Jainendra Rana.
The operation squad included SI Vijay Pratap Rahi, SI Pradyuman Singh Negi, Head Constable Narendra, Constable Arshad, and Head Constable Kiran Kumar. SOG Constable Pankaj Kumar provided crucial technical intelligence during the sweep. Police officials are currently probing the seized hardware to identify other suspects linked to this academic syndicate. Standard legal proceedings are underway to present the accused in court.
