A woman from Lucknow allegedly lost Rs 36.89 lakh after fraudsters posing as admission consultants promised to secure her daughter’s admission to Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) through the NEET admission process.
According to a complaint filed at Gomti Nagar Extension police station, the fraud began on October 1, when the woman’s daughter came across an Instagram advertisement titled ‘Doctor Admission Desk’. The family was subsequently contacted on WhatsApp by three men identified as Vijay Kumar, Abhishek Kumar and Tarun Kumar, who claimed they could arrange a medical seat through donation or institute-level quotas.
The accused initially demanded Rs 30 lakh for the admission but later raised the amount to Rs 45 lakh. They allegedly collected Rs 3 lakh as a booking fee and continued asking the family for additional payments.
To establish credibility, the suspects reportedly shared emails, fee receipts and other documents bearing the name of BMCRI. On October 7, they sent the family an admission allotment letter and a fee receipt, instructing the student to report to the college on October 10.
The fraudsters subsequently claimed that the college’s online payment gateway was not functioning and persuaded the complainant to arrange Rs 10 lakh in cash. On October 9, a man identifying himself as Krishna Kumar allegedly visited the family’s residence and collected the money.
Police said the woman also transferred Rs 26.89 lakh to bank accounts provided by the accused, taking her total loss to Rs 36.89 lakh.
The deception came to light on October 10, when the woman travelled to Bengaluru with her daughter and approached the college authorities. She then discovered that the admission documents were forged.
The case highlights how fraudulent admission offers advertised on social media can exploit families seeking medical college seats.
