BARC scientist loses ₹12.7 L trying to get an MBBS seat for child

MUMBAI: The Trombay police are investigating a complaint lodged by a scientist at the BARC, accusing three people from Bengaluru and Delhi of duping him to the tune of ₹12.66 lakhs under the guise of securing an MBBS seat for his daughter in Kempegowada Institute of Medical Sciences in Bengaluru.

He had submitted a written complaint to the Trombay police a few months ago as the suspects were paid in Mumbai. “We conducted an inquiry and registered an FIR on Wednesday against the suspects identified as Amit Kumar Agrawal, Rajkamal Agrawal and Mansoor Ali,” said senior police inspector Rehana Shaikh of the Trombay police station.

The complainant had met the accused outside the medical college where they promised to secure a management quota MBBS seat for his daughter.

According to the police, the complainant Shivaji Charan Das, 55, works at BARC as a scientist. His daughter cleared the HSC exam in 2018 and wanted to pursue medicine. After reading about Kempegowada medical college’s review on the internet, Das along with his wife visited the institute to inquire about the admission process.

On August 8, 2018, Das and his wife stood in a queue and after an hour got a chance to meet the officer. Before entering the cabin, a person sitting outside asked the couple to keep their mobile phones outside and only then allowed them to meet the officer.

Inside the cabin, they met Mansoor Ali who introduced himself as medical science administrative officer. There were two other persons already sitting in the office. When Das asked Ali about his daughter’s admission, he introduced the two persons Amit Kumar and Rajkamal who were present in the office.

Amit Kumar and Rajkamal then came out and assured Das that he can secure a MBBS seat from management quota. The duo said it would cost Das around ₹25 lakhs.

“Das was asked to pay an advance of ₹2 lakhs which he arranged within five hours. When the scientist demanded a fee receipt, he was told that it will be issued after he pays the entire fee amount of ₹25 lakhs,” said the second police officer.

During a conversation, Amit Kumar informed Das that his person will collect the fees from his home in Mumbai. Amit Kumar sent image of ₹10 note on Das’s WhatsApp number, informing him that the person sent by him to collect the money will show him the same image on his WhatsApp, he added.

The complainant claimed that he paid a total ₹26.50 lakhs to the two in four to five installments. After getting the amount, the accused started avoiding his calls. They later informed him that admission process at the college had stopped due to some legal issue and he would not be getting an admission. Das then asked them to return the amount. When he called up college to inquire, he came to know that no administrative officer named Mansoor Ali worked at the college.

The suspect returned ₹13.84 lakh but did not refund remaining ₹12.66 lakhs, said the officer.