HP Polytechnic Drone Grant Turns Out Fake: Student Tricked With Rs 3.5 Crore Fraud After Governor Felicitation Hamirpur polytechnic student Sarvesh Sharma fell victim to an elaborate cyber scam involving a fake defence drone grant of Rs 3.5 crore, exposing administrative negligence after officials felicitated him without verification. A severe case of cyber fraud has come to light at the Government Polytechnic Institute Baru in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, where fifth-semester computer engineering student Sarvesh Sharma was deceived with forged defence grant documents. The incident has exposed major procedural lapses on the part of the institute leadership and local administrative machinery, who publicly celebrated the claim without conducting basic background checks. Sharma had been led to believe that his drone development initiative received a substantial funding allocation of Rs 3.5 crore under the Innovations for Defence Excellence framework. However, the narrative unraveled rapidly after defence authorities confirmed that no such financial assistance had ever been approved, shortly before the student sustained severe injuries from a fall at his hostel. Forged Defence Seals and Elaborate Deception Inquiries into the episode indicate that unknown fraudsters targeted the engineering student through falsified digital paperwork carrying official military insignia and stamps. These fabricated files claimed that the Defence Innovation Organisation had sanctioned Rs 3.5 crore to support his drone model tailored for armed forces applications. The reality surfaced only after officials from the Defence Innovation Organisation reached out to the polytechnic authorities to formally clarify that the documentation was completely bogus. Investigators are presently tracking the digital trail to identify the originators of these deceptive communications. Crucially, law enforcement is also checking whether cash prizes previously awarded to Sharma at IIT Roorkee were siphoned off or manipulated by the cybercriminals behind this racket. Unchecked Claims Led to High-Level Recognition The controversy has trained sharp scrutiny on the polytechnic administration and Hamirpur district authorities for failing to exercise basic due diligence. On September 23, the institute issued an official press release hailing the achievement and distributing photographs of the student alongside the principal and faculty members. District administrative officials, including the office of the Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner, failed to cross-check the claims with the defence establishment. Relying entirely on unverified assertions, the authorities arranged for the student to receive a public honour from Governor Kavinder Gupta. The lack of standard administrative verification prior to organizing a constitutional dignitary's felicitation has now raised uncomfortable questions regarding institutional oversight. Fall From Hostel and Ongoing Medical Care In the wake of the unraveling situation, Sharma fell from the third floor of his student residence under unclear circumstances, suffering multiple trauma injuries. Following initial emergency treatment at Hamirpur Medical College, he was referred to PGI Chandigarh on Wednesday, October 27, where medical specialists are preparing him for jaw reconstructive surgery. Amid the incident, malicious rumors regarding his condition began circulating online. Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Upadhyay issued a public clarification debunking false claims of the student's demise, urging citizens to refrain from spreading unverified posts on social platforms. The police official emphasized that Sharma is undergoing treatment and confirmed that preliminary facts point directly to cyber fraud. Criminal Charges and Community Assistance Police authorities have initiated formal criminal proceedings to dismantle the fraud network. An FIR has been registered under Sections 318(2), 319, and 336(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act. Forensic and investigative teams have inspected the hostel room from which the student fell to reconstruct the exact timeline. Meanwhile, support has emerged for the injured student and his family during their stay at the Chandigarh facility. Bhoranj MLA Suresh Kumar met with the family members at the hospital to provide moral encouragement and extended financial assistance of Rs 50,000. Additionally, social worker Chandra Sharma from Sarkaghat visited the medical facility to offer solidarity to the family. What this means for you This case serves as a stark warning about the rising menace of cyber scams targeting young innovators and the critical need for institutional due diligence. • For Students and Researchers: Always verify grant sanction letters directly through official departmental portals before celebrating or committing resources. Never rely solely on stamped digital documents or share financial data without independent verification. • For Academic Institutions: Colleges must establish mandatory protocols to cross-check funding claims with donor agencies prior to issuing media statements. Facilitating honors from constitutional dignitaries without prior checks risks severe institutional embarrassment. • In Himachal Pradesh: Educational institutions across the state are likely to face tighter screening rules for external student achievements. Local law enforcement is stepping up scrutiny of fraudulent correspondence circulating among college campuses. • For Social Media Users: Refrain from circulating unverified rumors about injuries or deaths during unfolding investigative incidents. Sharing unconfirmed claims can cause severe emotional distress to families and invites statutory penal action. Why this happened The controversy unfolded due to a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting a student's project, compounded by total verification failures across administrative tiers. • Sophisticated Document Forgery: Cyber criminals crafted persuasive digital paperwork bearing fake military and departmental seals to simulate an authentic grant approval. This deceptive presentation prevented immediate suspicion from the young engineering student. • Institutional Verification Lapses: The college authorities issued congratulatory public notices on September 23 without independently verifying the award with the central defence body. District officials repeated this failure by facilitating an official gubernatorial felicitation without checking basic credentials. • Official Denial and Escalation: The deception collapsed once the Defence Innovation Organisation formally alerted the college that no grant was ever sanctioned. The sudden collapse of the claim triggered intense stress for the student, followed by his hostel fall which is currently under police inquiry. Questions & Answers 1. Who is Sarvesh Sharma and what happened to him? Sarvesh Sharma is a fifth-semester computer engineering student at Government Polytechnic Baru in Hamirpur who fell victim to a Rs 3.5 crore fake defence grant cyber scam. 2. What was the reality behind the Rs 3.5 crore defence grant? The Defence Innovation Organisation explicitly refuted the claim, stating that no such funding was ever sanctioned and the stamped documents were counterfeit. 3. Why are the college management and administration facing criticism? The college and district authorities accepted the claim without cross-checking, issued public press statements, and arranged for the student to be felicitated by the Governor. 4. What is the current medical condition of the student? After falling from the hostel's third floor under unclear circumstances, he was referred to PGI Chandigarh where he is undergoing treatment for scheduled jaw surgery. 5. What legal action has been initiated by the police? Hamirpur police registered an FIR under BNS Sections 318(2), 319, 336(3) and IT Act Sections 66C and 66D to investigate the cyber fraud. 6. Has any financial assistance been extended to the family? Bhoranj MLA Suresh Kumar met the student's family members at the hospital and provided financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for medical needs. https://trendkia.com/en/himachal-pradesh/hp-polytechnic-drone-grant-turns-out-fake-student-tricked-with-rs-3-5-crore-fraud-after-governor-kavinder-gupta-felicitation-53398 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.