•Haryana’s Bhiwani Has Become Factory of Cheating; Haryana Nurtured Paper Leak Mafia That Murdered Dreams of Thousands of Youth: Harjot Singh Bains
•Bhiwani-Based Mastermind Exposed as Punjab Police Cracked the BFUHS Faridkot Pharmacy Cheating Case: Harjot Singh Bains
•Haryana CM Is Busy Setting Political Agendas in Other States but Has No Time to Protect Future of Students in His Own State: Harjot Singh Bains
•Bhagwant Mann Govt Transformed ‘Udta Punjab’ Into ‘Pardha Punjab’: Harjot Singh Bains
•Punjab Police Cracked Pharmacy Exam Cheating Racket; This Isn’t Paper Leak Case but Highly Organised, Technology-Driven Cheating Racket: IGP Nilambari Jagdale
CHANDIGARH; July 31:
Punjab Police has exposed a Haryana-based inter-state cheating syndicate led by a Bhiwani mastermind that allegedly used sophisticated technology to facilitate cheating in the BFUHS Faridkot pharmacy examination, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said on Friday, asserting that the operation had exposed Haryana’s organised cheating network and put to rest allegations of a paper leak. Pointing out that the Haryana Government allowed the racket to flourish for years, he said the Bhagwant Mann Government would not allow anyone to defame Punjab’s education system, which has transformed from “Udta Punjab” into “Pardha Punjab.”
Addressing a press conference at the PEDA Complex here, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said Punjab’s education system is built on transparency and merit, whereas Haryana had failed to curb organised examination fraud despite the racket operating there for years. “The Haryana Chief Minister is busy setting political agendas in other states, but has no time to protect the future of students in his own state,” he added.
The Punjab Education Minister stated, “The Haryana Police failed to act against the cheating syndicate. It was Punjab Police that cracked the BFUHS Faridkot pharmacy examination cheating case, whose trail led to a Bhiwani-based mastermind. Despite this, attempts are being made to defame Punjab.”
Calling Bhiwani the epicentre of the organised cheating network, Minister Harjot Singh Bains stated, “Bhiwani is not just a city, it has become a factory of cheating. They destroyed the dreams of thousands of young people in Haryana who deserved jobs, admissions and placements. After ruining the future of their own children, they came to Punjab to expand their illegal business. This is the model of the Saini Government, destroy your own and then poison others.”
The Education Minister said the racket had been operating from Haryana by filling forms for competitive examinations and using highly sophisticated gadgets to facilitate cheating. He said the accused used modified Kechaoda (K33) phones converted into micro-chip devices, hidden communication equipment and other advanced gadgets to run the network. “The mastermind belongs to Bhiwani, Haryana. These handlers operated there for years. When their own state failed to act against them, they crossed into Punjab to expand their operations,” he said.
Highlighting Punjab’s progress in education, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the state’s performance has consistently surpassed several better-known education hubs. “Haryana claims Gurugram is its number one education city. But Punjab’s lowest-performing district, Patiala, performs better than Gurugram. Punjab has also surpassed Kerala in primary school education. While they are busy doing politics, we are focused on policy,” he said.
The Education Minister said Punjab’s education reforms have delivered measurable results. “In 2026, 361 students cleared JEE (Main) and 64 qualified JEE (Advanced). In NEET, the number of successful students increased from 437 in 2024 to 882 in 2026, registering more than 100 percent growth in just two years. From fewer than 80 successful students in 2022 to 882 students today from every district, this is what educational integrity delivers,” he said.
Minister Harjot Singh Bains further said the Punjab School Education Department is exploring blockchain technology to make examinations tamper-proof and unhackable. “Punjab is investing in future-ready systems to protect the integrity of examinations. What is Haryana doing? Nothing, because its Chief Minister is busy with photo opportunities,” he remarked.
Becoming emotional during the press conference, the Education Minister said he would never tolerate any attempt to malign Punjab, its students or the state government. “If someone attacks me personally, it does not matter. I am an ordinary person. But I will not hear a word against my Punjab, my Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann or my students. For four years, the Akali Dal, BJP and Congress spread lies against us, but today the entire country knows the truth,” he said.
Issuing a message to the Haryana Government, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “Stop exporting paper leaks and start fixing your own backyard. Punjab has zero tolerance for cheating. We will catch every single person involved. Stop trying to defame Punjab.”
Describing education as his life’s mission, the Minister added, “Education is not merely my portfolio, it is my passion. I will protect the future of every Punjabi student, irrespective of how many conspiracies are hatched against us.”
Punjab Police Dismantled Sophisticated Inter-State Cheating Network: IGP Nilambri Jagdale
Inspector General of Police, Faridkot Range, Nilambri Jagdale, gave a detailed account of the operation through which Punjab Police’s Counter Intelligence wing, along with Faridkot and Ferozepur Range Police, dismantled a sophisticated inter-state cheating syndicate having deep roots in Haryana’s Bhiwani. “Let me make one thing absolutely clear. This is not a paper leak case. It is a highly organised, technology-driven cheating racket with inter-state linkages. Ten handlers have been arrested so far, along with 25 candidates who used unfair means during the examination,” said the IGP.
She said investigation has so far identified 13 handlers, including eight from Haryana and Rajasthan and five from Punjab.
Sharing details of the operation, IGP Nilambri Jagdale said that on the morning of July 19, Punjab Police received specific intelligence inputs that an inter-state gang was planning to facilitate cheating during the BFUHS pharmacy examination using advanced wireless and Bluetooth devices. “The intelligence led us to a house in Society Nagar, Faridkot, belonging to Gurmeet Singh. It had been converted into a makeshift control room equipped with wireless transmitters, modified mobile phones and handlers waiting to dictate answers,” she said.
Explaining the modus operandi, the IGP said a candidate from Bhiwani used a spy camera to capture images of the question paper immediately after the examination began. “The images were transmitted to a handler, Sajan of Bhiwani, who solved the paper. The answers were then relayed to the control room, where handlers Deepak and Manjeet dictated the answers to candidates inside examination centres through wireless devices. Before they could execute the plan, Punjab Police teams raided the control room and arrested all six handlers red-handed,” she said.
The IGP said more than 200 Punjab Police personnel were deployed across multiple examination centres, while all supervisors, controllers and observers were immediately alerted to conduct intensive frisking of candidates.
She said police recovered 38 modified Kechaoda phones, including 25 from candidates and 13 from handlers, besides 21 hidden wireless earpieces and two vehicles used in the operation. “The Kechaoda K33 phones were procured from Delhi and modified using tutorials available on YouTube. The devices were stripped of their screens, microphones and speakers before being fitted with RF frequency transmitters. The hidden earpieces fit deep inside the ear canal and are invisible to the naked eye, demonstrating how sophisticated this network had become,” she said.
Clarifying the nature of the investigation, IGP Nilambri Jagdale categorically stated that no government employee, examination official or centre supervisor had been found involved in the case. “I want to make this absolutely clear. This is neither a paper leak case nor is there any involvement of any government employee, officer or examination centre staff. The investigation has established that the cheating gang operated entirely from outside using candidates as conduits,” she said.
The IGP said the investigation is continuing and several accused are still absconding. “Three handlers and four candidates remain at large. Punjab Police teams are conducting raids across Haryana, Rajasthan and several cities of Punjab. We will not rest until every person involved in this conspiracy is brought to justice,” she said.
Reiterating Punjab Police’s commitment, IGP Nilambri Jagdale said, “Punjab Police has a zero-tolerance policy against crime, corruption and unfair means. We will continue to act firmly against anyone attempting to compromise the future of our students.”
