MBBS seats for 25 to 30 lakh! Doctor among 4 arrested in fake admissions scam, 18 students rescued

New Delhi: Just a day before the NEET UG 2026 exam, the Delhi Police Crime Branch reportedly rescued 18 students, including minors, who were allegedly lured into a fake medical admission racket promising guaranteed MBBS seats for around Rs 25 lakh and Rs 30 lakh per candidate.

Along with this, the agency arrested four accused, including a doctor who studied in Kyrgyzstan, and the alleged mastermind of the racket. According to the agency, the accused lured students and their families by claiming they could secure MBBS admissions and provide important questions to crack the exam.

The four accused have been identified as a graduate and the alleged mastermind, a resident of East of Kailash in Delhi; a doctor- a native of Gopalganj, Bihar, MBBS graduate from Kyrgyzstan; a B Tech graduate from Pune and a property dealer-cum-builder based in Lucknow; and a Surat-based broker.

Also read- NEET 2026 paper analysis: students say test easy to moderate but lengthy

Regarding the doctor, the team said that even though he had completed his medical course from a foreign country, he had not yet cleared the screening test conducted by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which is a mandatory practice in India.

The operation came to light after inputs from Surat Police, following which multiple raids were carried out across Delhi and Ghaziabad. The students were rescued during raids at several locations where the accused had taken them on the pretext of providing important questions.

Confirming that the racket was well organised, the investigators, during questioning, found that the accused had allegedly struck deals ranging between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 30 lakh per candidate, collecting cash, original academic documents and blank signed cheques from parents in return for false assurances of guaranteed admission. 

Explaining the modus operandi, DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav told Indian Express, "This was a well-structured network that preyed upon the aspirations of students and their guardians. The accused had been targeting families, particularly from Gujarat. Jaiswal was the main person behind the entire operation. He brought in his associate Vinod Patel, who helped identify and approach families. Akhlaq Alam’s role was to prepare the so-called question papers, while Sant Pratap Singh handled logistics, including accommodation and meeting points."

The Crime Branch teams searched nearly 100 hotels in Mahipalpur before tracking the suspects. A trap was laid near a hospital in Ghaziabad, leading to the mastermind's arrest and the rescue of three students. Further raids at a flat linked to another accused led to the rescue of 15 more students.

A team under the joint leadership of Inspectors Sunil Kalkhande, Yashendra Singh, and Mahipal Singh, supervised by Satendra Mohan, ACP, Central Range, was formed to trace the suspects.

So far, the police have recovered 149 pages of fabricated question-answer material and blank signed cheques.

"The accused would take part of the payment in cash and secure the remaining amount through signed cheques, along with original documents, to maintain control over the victims. They would take some payment in cash and secure the remaining amount through cheques to ensure compliance from the victims," Yadav said.

He further added, "We prioritised the safety of the students. Many of them were scheduled to appear for the exam the very next day. They were counselled and allowed to proceed."

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Crime Branch police station, and all four accused have been arrested and taken into custody for further interrogation.

Warning students and parents to stay alert against such frauds, the Delhi police said, "Admissions to professional courses like MBBS are strictly merit-based. Any claim of securing seats through illegal means should be treated with suspicion."

Also read- NEET 2026 row: Candidate asked to remove tulsi mala at Surat exam centre, NTA calls it 'wrong'