MBBS Admission Scam: SIT detains man with political connection for duping family of Rs 16 lakh

Mumbai: Busting a medical admission scam, the special investigation team (SIT) on Saturday arrested a man with political connection for duping the family of a class 12 student of Rs 16 lakh after assuring MBBS admission in DY Patil Medical College.

The accused, Sunitratna Pritam Athavle (42), claimed to be a member of a political party and he is involved in liaison work. SIT has now arrested him on charges of cheating and forgery.

While the accused is due to be produced in Court on Monday, the Investigating Officer Sadanand Yerekar informed TOI that the accused has two similar cases of cheating pending against him in Mumbai.

Police started the investigation after receiving a complaint from the mother of the MBBS student. Hailing from Jogeshwari, the complainant Sulbha Shivgan alleged she met Athavle at a political party's office in south Mumbai. Allegedly, Athavle had promised to ensure admission of the complainant's son in DY Patil Medical College.

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The concerned student cleared his Class 12 exams last year and was looking for medical admission. As per the latest media report by the Times of India, police have informed that it is not clear whether the child had cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). 

Last year in January, the Complainant along with her husband reached the political party's office where a senior party leader would hold a public durbar for considering the plights of the public. It has been alleged by the family that on that particular day they were unable to meet the party leader due to overcrowding. However, at that time Athavle had alleged assured to help them.

Commenting on the matter, a member of SIT told the daily, "The family met the accused many times outside the party office they got confidence that he was an influential person and would help their son get admission. The accused initially asked them Rs 50,000 which the family gave him at the party office," said a police officer. The accused also promised to help them buy an affordable house and showed them a locked flat in Borivli."

After the student's mother lodged the FIR with MRA Marg police on Friday, the special investigation team (SIT) which is probing the medical admission scam, arrested Athavle on Saturday. Apart from the promise of MBBS admission, the accused had allegedly also promised to help the student to get a flat at a reduced price in Borivli.

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