MBBS seat scam: Doctor booked for defrauding parents of two medical aspirants of Rs 1.2 crore

Mumbai: A shocking case of MBBS admission scam has come to light from the city where a doctor and two others have been accused of defrauding two businessmen of Rs 1.2 crore. They promised to secure their children a seat at Parel’s KEM hospital under management quota. 

Following their alleged crime, the accused persons - Dr Hiten Kenia, Heena and Jeevan were booked on Monday under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. They are yet to face action as the police are investigating for more evidence in connection with the case.

The two businessmen have been identified as Dharmang Dediya and Jimmy Desai who shared that their 19-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son had dreams of obtaining MBBS seats for the academic year 2022-23 and hence they were preparing for the NEET exam. Unfortunately, the two families collectively suffered a financial loss of Rs 1.2 crore due to the fraudulent activities of the scammers.

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What came as more shocking is the fact that a doctor name being involved in the case. The incident took place in March when the complainant Dediya and Desai met with Dr Hiten and trusted the doctor when he alllgedly said that he would secure a seat for his daughter and son at the Seth GS Medical College attached to the KEM Hospital under the management quota. 

Following this, Dediya took his 95-year-old grandfather to Dr Hiten Keniya’s clinic in Borivali East. During their discussion, Dediya shared his interest in the KEM Hospital and informed the doctor that he would want a seat for his daughter there. The doctor allegedly then bragged about his connection that could secure a seat for his daughter at the medical college. 

Meanwhile, Desai who is the friend of Dediya also went to the doctor's clinic and was given the same promise. The following day, the doctor reached out to Dedia via telephone. Dedia was reassured by the doctor that he is acquainted with a woman named Heena, who possesses connections at KEM hospital. The doctor assured Dedia that through the 5 per cent management quota, Heena would be able to secure admission for his daughter.

Following this, Dediya and Desai went to the doctor's clinic again where they met Heena, introduced by the doctor. They confirmed the deal and Heena demanded Rs 60 lakh from each of them for each seat. 

“On March 12, Dr Kenia introduced Dedia and Desai to Heena at his clinic. She told them that she would get the admission work done through a person named Jeevan. She said that to do this work each admission will cost Rs 57.5 lakh. The doctor also promised a refund of the entire amount if the admission work is not done,” the FIR stated.

Both the complainants agreed to pay the amount to get the work down. However, the complainants later noticed that their son and daughter received enough marks in the NEET entrance exam to secure a seat on a merit basis. Hence, they went to the doctor and asked for a refund of their previous payment but the doctor insisted that they could still secure a seat under management quota. 

When the complaint refused the offer and asked for a refund, the doctor said that he had given the amount to Heena. In addition, Dr Kenai said that he was also defrauded by Heena. 

According to an HT news report, the two complainants and the doctor went to Heena's house in August to confront her about the money. However, Heena said that she did not make a deal with the complainants and that she was only an insurance agent who knew Keniya but did not know Desai and Dediya.

“In June when the NEET results were out, Dr Kenai and Heena told the two families that they could not go ahead with the admission as the NEET score of their children was not up to the mark. When the families asked for a refund the doctor initially promised to refund all the money,” the complaint informed The Indian Express. 

After failing to get a refund from the accused, the complainants approached the Kasturba sub-police station and filed a complaint against the three fraudsters. The complainants have submitted relevant evidence in connection with the case. Currently, the case is under investigation. 

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