Lucknow, July 19: A resident of Daltonganj in Jharkhand was allegedly cheated of ₹18.25 lakh on the false promise of securing an MBBS admission for his daughter, prompting the Vibhutikhand Police in Lucknow to register an FIR and launch an investigation into the suspected admission fraud.
The complainant, Santosh Kumar Sahu, alleged that he came across the website of Study Pathway Consultancy, which advertised MBBS admissions. After contacting the consultancy through the mobile number listed on the website, Abhinav Sharma allegedly assured him that his daughter would be admitted to a medical college.
According to the complaint, the accused persuaded Sahu to transfer a total of ₹18.25 lakh into multiple bank accounts in the name of Hindu Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) as part of the admission process.
«”The accused made him deposit a total of ₹18.25 lakh in different accounts in the name of Hindu Institute of Medical Sciences,” the complaint stated.»
However, when the promised admission failed to materialise despite repeated follow-ups, Sahu realised he had been cheated and approached the police.
«”When the admission did not take place, the fraud came to light,” the complaint said.»
During the investigation, police found that the consultancy’s office in Gomtinagar, Lucknow, was locked, raising further suspicion about the alleged fraud. Investigators also discovered that one of the bank accounts into which the money was transferred belonged to Santosh Kumar, a resident of Samastipur, Bihar.
On the directions of ADCP Crime Kiran Yadav, the Vibhutikhand Police registered an FIR and initiated a detailed probe into the matter.
«”During investigation, the accused’s office in Gomtinagar was found closed,” police said.»
Inspector Upendra Singh said the investigation is underway, with police examining bank transactions, call detail records, and other evidence to trace the accused and uncover the extent of the alleged fraud.
«”The matter is being investigated,” Inspector Upendra Singh said.»
Police officials added that previous cases have also been registered against the accused at the Cyber Police Station, and investigators are verifying all financial and digital trails connected to the case.
