Under garb of Medico Help Desk, Fraudsters cheat Rs 2.5 crore from MBBS aspirants

Mumbai: A massive MBBS seat fraud has been unearthed from Mumbai, where eight medical aspirants and their parents were cheated of Rs 2.5 crore by a gang claiming to be a medico help desk firm.

The firm had allegedly promised them admission under management quota, according to a senior police officer in Mumbai. 

Also Read:Andheri resident duped of Rs 10.5 lakh in promise of MBBS admission for Daughter in Rajiv Gandhi Medical College

An FIR was filed based on the complaint by 52-year-old Pradip More from Bhandup. He alleged that he first got a call in February this year,  who took his son's name and promised admission in any medical college in Maharashtra for Rs 90 lakh and in Karnataka for Rs 95 lakhs. Believing him, the complainant allegedly chose a medical college in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, following which he was invited to their office at Vashi for further procedure. 

The accused told More that he need to pay Rs 70 lakh, out of which Rs 12.2 lakh needed to be paid as initial amount. After paying the initial amount, the complainant signed an MoU with the firm. The police officer said, "The MOU signing was just a tactic to gain trust." It was told to the parent that when More and his son went to the medical colleges for completing further formalities in April, one of their members from the help desk firm would also go along with them. However, no one came till evening and the complainant was constantly assured on call that the person from the office is on the way. 

The office was reportedly shut down the next day when the complainant went there. The manager of the commercial building told him that many parents who have been duped in a similar fashion have been visiting the office, as per a media report in the Hindustan Times. After that, More filed a complaint with the Navi Mumbai police. The deputy commissioner of police (crime) Suresh Mengade said, "As per the procedure, in economic offences, the complaint is first enquired upon and then a FIR is lodged. So, after the enquiry which confirmed the crime, a FIR was lodged." 

The gang worked at a commercial building at Sector 30A, and mostly targeted students who scored average in Class XII and appeared for NEET exam. A police officer said, "They somehow had the data base of such students and there is a probability of the accused hacking into government websites to get the data. Only after the accused are arrested, this can be verified," adding, "The accused would call the numbers and introduce themselves as representatives from 'medico help desk' who are into helping students with MBBS admission via management quota."

The case, which was initially registered with the Vashi police was eventually transferred to the unit I of EOW. The police officer added, "Prima facie, at least six accused are involved and we have found eight parents who were duped. There are chances that more parents would have been cheated by the same accused across the country." 

Also Read:Karnataka: Doctor duped of Rs 1.16 crore on pretext of MBBS admission for son in M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, 5 accused held