In a major crackdown on educational fraud, Lucknow Police has apprehended the mastermind behind an extensive NEET admission scam that duped aspiring medical students and their parents of approximately Rs 100 crore across six Indian states.
The Elusive Mastermind and His Capture
The primary accused, identified as 35-year-old Abhinav Sharma, a B.Tech Mechanical Engineering graduate from Bihar, was arrested along with his associate Santosh Kumar near Kathauta Lake by a specialized Cyber Crime team. The arrest culminated an intensive investigation into one of the most sophisticated educational fraud operations uncovered in recent years.
According to DCP Kamlesh Dixit, the racket first came to light when multiple victims approached Lucknow Cyber Crime Police Station with complaints of financial fraud ranging between Rs 18 lakh to Rs 45 lakh per victim for promised MBBS admissions that never materialized.
Modus Operandi: A Web of Deception
During interrogation, the technically-qualified mastermind revealed an elaborate scheme that exploited the aspirations of NEET candidates. Sharma admitted to procuring data of NEET candidates, particularly those with lower ranks, from online sources and data brokers, then specifically targeting vulnerable families.
The gang established multiple fake "admission consultancies" across different cities using forged identification documents of associates. Through aggressive social media marketing on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, they lured families by falsely promising management quota seats in prestigious medical colleges located in Barabanki, Sitapur, and Bihar.
Inspector Brijesh Yadav of the Cyber Cell detailed how parents were summoned to these fake consultancy offices, shown forged documents and admission letters, and convinced to make payments through demand drafts, online transfers, and cash transactions. The illicit funds were then deposited into multiple current accounts fraudulently opened in the name of Hind Institute of Medical Sciences.
Multi-State Operation and Criminal History
The investigation revealed the scam's extensive reach across six states, with victims filing cases in multiple jurisdictions. Several FIRs were registered at Lucknow Cyber Crime Police Station under BNS sections 318(4)/319(2) and IT Act 66D.
Police described Sharma as a seasoned criminal with over 18 cases registered against him in UP, Bihar, Delhi, and Gujarat under various IPC sections related to fraud, forgery, criminal conspiracy, IT Act violations, and SC/ST Act provisions. His criminal audacity was further demonstrated when he once escaped police custody by jumping off a train between Patna and Saharanpur.
The search operation following his latest arrest led to significant seizures including three mobile phones, six CPUs, six monitors, a WiFi dongle and router, two seals, a PNB cheque book of a fake Hind Institute account, PAN and Aadhaar cards, and Rs 4,98,490 in cash.
Authorities confirmed that the accused used multiple identities, fake consultancies, and cloned websites to impersonate the Hind Institute of Medical Sciences and other medical colleges, creating an illusion of legitimacy that deceived numerous families seeking quality medical education for their children.
