Overview

• Police identified the accused as Virendra Singh Yadav, an associate chemistry professor at a Wagholi college in Pune.
• The letter falsely claimed his selection for the 2025–26 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, which was renamed in 2022 as the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar.
• CSIR-HRDC scrutiny detected a forged signature of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh.
• Yadav was arrested on Sunday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 318(4) for cheating and 336 for forgery, and he is in police custody until September 26.
• A complaint from a National Chemical Laboratory security officer triggered the verification, and Pune Police say they are probing possible involvement of others and an alleged bid to boost his standing in science.