UP Sanskrit Board topper Rajneesh Yadav booked for ID, document fraud
Pratapgarh, Aug 5 (IANS) Rajneesh Yadav, the Pratapgarh student who came into the spotlight after securing the top rank in the state in the 2026 Uttar Madhyama (Class 12) examination conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Sanskrit Education Council, has now found himself at the centre of a serious legal controversy.
Acting on a complaint filed by one of his family members, police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against him at Aspur Devsara police station on charges of fraud, forgery and the use of allegedly forged documents.
The matter is now being investigated by both the police and the education department.
The examination results, announced on April 24 this year, showed Rajneesh Yadav, a student of Shri Ramtahl Sanskrit Higher Secondary School in Yadunathpur Saifabad, Pratapgarh, securing the first rank across Uttar Pradesh with 89.36 per cent marks.
His achievement was widely celebrated, with the success of the farmer’s son being projected as a story of hard work, perseverance and academic excellence.
The school had also attracted attention after two of its students featured in the state’s top merit list. However, the authenticity of that achievement has now come under scrutiny.
According to officials, Jagat Prasad, a member of Rajneesh’s family, submitted a complaint at the police station three days ago, alleging that the student’s academic credentials and identity were based on fabricated documents and seeking legal action.
Acting on the complaint, police registered a case of fraud against Rajneesh late on Monday night.
The complaint alleged that the student’s earlier educational records, ration card and entries in the voter list identified him as Ajay Kumar, with his date of birth recorded as May 13, 1998. It further claimed that his name was subsequently changed to Rajneesh Yadav and that his date of birth was altered to July 1, 2010, in other official documents, including his Aadhaar card.
Based on these allegedly modified records, he is accused of securing admission to a Sanskrit school and appearing for the Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Board examination in 2026.
Patti Circle Officer Pradeep Kumar Singh said that an FIR has been registered on the basis of the complaint and that an investigation has been initiated into the allegations.
He said that the student’s Aadhaar card, educational records, birth certificate, admission documents and other government records would be thoroughly verified, following which further legal action would be decided on the basis of the findings of the investigation.
District School Inspector Omkar Rana also confirmed that the education department has initiated its own inquiry into the matter.
He said that the student’s academic records and birth certificate would be examined in detail and that a dedicated investigation team would be constituted to verify the authenticity of the documents and submit its report.
–IANS
sd/