New Delhi: The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police today claimed to have arrested the kingpin of a fake MBBS admission racket who allegedly duped many innocent families on the pretext of securing medical seats for their wards.
The kingpin of the gang, Manav Mitra (40), was arrested from Mumbai yesterday where he was staying close to the IIT at Powai.
The gang came under police's scanner last year in September when a case under the relevant sections was registered by the EOW on a complaint by one Rakesh Maskeen.
Maskeen alleged that he was contacted by a firm, M/S Prime Consultant, run by Mitra, for admission of his ward in a medical college under management quota seat. “He visited their office several times, where they assured him of his high-level contacts in the management of several medical colleges across India. He was asked to pay Rs 20 lakh and, after a few meetings, the complainant paid the amount,” said DCP (EOW), Rajneesh Garg.
However, after a few days, all the accused went into hiding without arranging for any medical seats, Garg said. As the investigation was launched into the case, five other persons also came forward claiming that they had been cheated by the same group.
According to police, on Sept. 2 of last year, Mitra's accomplice, one Vivek Kumar, had gone to Maskeen's residence and collected Rs 20 lakh in cash for securing a seat for his daughter in a medical college. But, following the complaint, Kumar was arrested on Sept. 17 while Mitra, the main accused, was absconding.
The total amount collected through the racket is more than 1.25 crore, police said.
After fleeing from Delhi, Mitra committed the same fraud in Kolkata as well, police said. He later shifted his base to Mumbai and operated from the IIT area, from where he was finally arrested, said Garg.
Mitra is a graduate from Jharkhand. He started working in Delhi as a consultant for MBBS guidance and admission and, later, started the racket. Efforts are being made to trace his other associates, Garg added.
