Puducherry Court Directs Police Action in Rs 25 Lakh Jipmer Job Scam
In a significant development in Puducherry, the police have officially registered a case against a doctor from the prestigious Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer), his personal driver, and four other individuals. The charges stem from an alleged elaborate scam where the accused duped a woman of a staggering Rs 25 lakh under the false pretense of securing a front office job for her son at Jipmer.
Details of the Alleged Fraud
The victim, identified as V Valarmathi, aged 49 and a resident of Jipmer quarters, was reportedly introduced to S Kanniappan, the driver of Dr Gowtham Roy, a doctor employed at Jipmer. Kanniappan allegedly claimed that Dr Roy possessed the influence and connections to arrange a job placement for Valarmathi's son within the institute's front office operations. To facilitate this, they demanded a total payment of Rs 25 lakh.
Between the years 2020 and 2022, Valarmathi paid Rs 15 lakh in two separate instalments directly to Kanniappan, trusting the promise of employment. Subsequently, the driver introduced her to Dr Gowtham Roy himself. At this stage, the accused insisted that she pay the remaining balance of Rs 10 lakh to finalize and ensure the job for her son. Complying with their demands, Valarmathi handed over the additional Rs 10 lakh in 2023.
Broken Promises and Legal Intervention
Despite receiving the full amount, the accused failed to deliver on their job placement promise. When Valarmathi confronted them, demanding either the return of her money or the promised employment for her son, she was reportedly threatened with dire consequences. Left with no recourse, she formally lodged a complaint with the D Nagar police station on March 28, 2023.
However, the police initially did not take any substantive action on her complaint. This forced Valarmathi to seek judicial intervention. Following her petition, a local court in Puducherry issued a clear direction to the police, mandating them to register a formal case and commence immediate and thorough inquiries into the allegations.
The police have now booked the Jipmer doctor, his driver, and the four other accomplices under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to cheating, criminal breach of trust, and criminal intimidation. This case highlights serious concerns about fraud exploiting the reputation of esteemed institutions like Jipmer and underscores the critical role of judicial oversight in ensuring police accountability and victim justice.
