Kolkata man arrested for duping duo on promise of MBBS seats

Kolkata man arrested for cheating Kandivali resident of ₹22 lakh in medical college seat scam; part of nationwide gang. Police investigating further.

A 38-year-old man from Kolkata, who allegedly cheated a Kandivali East resident of ₹22 lakh after promising to get his daughter and his friend’s son MBBS seats from management quota in medical colleges, was arrested at his home on Friday.

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According to cyber police officers, the accused, identified as Anandkumar Surendra Ram, is a member of a gang that operates across India. Ram and his accomplices had opened an online consultancy and posted several advertisements on social media.

In December 2023, the complainant saw one such advertisement with a phone number on Facebook and contacted Ram.

After getting details of the candidates’ educational background and their fathers’ financial back-ground, Ram proposed to the complainant that both would have to go through a series of entrance exams and online interviews. The accused asked about their choice of colleges in Maharashtra and told the complainant that he had received at least 56 applicants and there were only a few managament seats he could manage, a police officer said.

After conducting an online interview, Ram asked the complainant to pay ₹22 lakh for approval letters, no objection certificates etc. The man accordingly paid the money. Later, when Ram began giving excuses for not securing the candidates’ admissions and refused to return the money, the complainant realised that he was cheated. He approached the North Cyber police station in Kandivali.

A case against the accused was registered under section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian penal Code and section 66-B (punishement for dishonestly receiving stolen computer resource or communication device) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The police traced his mobile location and arrested Ram. A search is on for other members of his gang, an officer from North Cyber police station said and added attempts are being made to check Ram’s bank accounts to find out how many more people he had cheated.