The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea of Amit Rana, accused of mass cheating in the SSC (GD) Constable Examination. The Court said his modus operandi prima facie showed he was a kingpin of a larger cheating network.
Justice Krishan Pahal also found that the loan receipts produced to explain the ₹50 lakh recovered from the applicant did not seem to be genuine.
Background of the SSC GD Exam Cheating Case
Rana was arrested on 22.5.2026 along with seven other accused persons. The case was registered at Police Station Knowledge Park, District Gautam Buddh Nagar, under Sections 338, 336(3), 340(2), 318(2) and 61(2) of the BNS. It also invokes Sections 13(4) and 13(5) of the U.P. Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and Sections 65 and 66 of the IT Act.
According to the FIR lodged by a Sub-Inspector, police recovered five laptops, a phone router, eleven mobile phones, two admit cards, four entry/identity cards and ₹50 lakh. The prosecution alleged that the accused were involved in mass copying in the SSC (GD) Constable Examination held on 22.5.2026.
Arguments
Advocate Vineet Pandey, appearing for the applicant along with Mohnish Chandra and Pranvesh, argued that Rana was innocent and had been falsely implicated. He submitted that the applicant had no criminal antecedents, and that no student had alleged paying him money or receiving his help. Counsel also pointed out that no mark sheet was recovered from him and that he was arrested 40 km from the examination venue.
Pandey contended that the money seized belonged to the applicant and had been borrowed from relatives and acquaintances. He produced three receipts totalling ₹48 lakh in support. He further argued that the applicant’s name surfaced only in a co-accused’s statement, which had no evidentiary value. He also claimed the applicant was made a scapegoat because of rivalry between computer labs seeking authorisation as examination centres. The applicant has been in jail since 23.5.2026.
Additional Government Advocate Arvind Kumar, appearing for the State, opposed the plea and called the applicant the kingpin of a larger network. He relied on WhatsApp chats from virtual foreign numbers, allegedly used by the applicant and co-accused Pradeep Chauhan. These chats discussed proxy servers, AnyDesk, admit cards and candidate seat numbers on the morning of the exam.
The State further submitted that SSC data showed 30 logs compromised through a proxy server. It also alleged that the applicant shared 179 links relating to the Delhi Police Examination with an associate between 22.1.2026 and 15.2.2026. Separately, he allegedly sent 13 links relating to the SSC (GD) exam to Chauhan between 6.5.2026 and 22.5.2026.
Court’s Findings
The Court examined the three receipts produced by the defence. It noted that the third receipt, for ₹21 lakh from the applicant’s brother, showed a stamp purchase date of 21.4.2026, but the public notary’s date was 24.3.2026. The Court said this was “anti-time and indicates forgery.”
On the applicant’s role, the Court observed: “The modus operandi of the applicant prima facie indicates that he is a kingpin of a larger network involved in cheating, thereby ruining the careers of bona fide candidates.” It added: “It casts a stigma on the invigilation system at large.”
The Court held that the applicant seemed to be one of the main architects of the network. It further noted that “the receipts produced before the Court do not seem to be genuine and the recovery of Rs. 50 lakhs from the applicant also indicates his involvement.”
Outcome
Finding the plea devoid of merits, the High Court rejected the bail application. It directed the trial court to decide the case expeditiously if there is no legal impediment. The Court also clarified that its observations are limited to the bail application and will have no bearing on the merits of the trial.
Case Title: Amit Rana v. State of U.P.
Case No.: Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 28821 of 2026 (along with Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 28016 of 2026)
Bench: Justice Krishan Pahal
Date: October 30, 2026
