Mumbai: A senior railway engineer in Mumbai has allegedly been cheated of ₹2.6 million (₹26 lakh) after being promised an MBBS seat for his daughter at a private medical college. According to police, the accused collected the money in multiple instalments on the pretext of arranging medical admission but allegedly failed to secure the seat or return the funds. A criminal case has been registered against four individuals, including a railway official, his wife, and two others.
According to the police complaint, the victim, a senior railway engineer posted in central Mumbai, was looking for an MBBS admission for his daughter in 2025. During this period, one of his colleagues in the Railways allegedly informed him that a person known to his wife could arrange admission to a private medical college. The colleague introduced the complainant to the alleged intermediary and assured him that the admission process would be completed successfully.
Investigators said the accused claimed he could secure an MBBS seat at a private medical college in Pune and demanded a substantial amount to facilitate the admission. Acting on the assurance, the complainant allegedly transferred ₹1.1 million (₹11 lakh) to the bank account of the railway official’s wife, as instructed by the accused. The suspects reportedly assured him that the admission would be confirmed within the stipulated timeframe.
However, the accused later allegedly claimed that the opportunity for admission in Pune had been lost because the payment was received late. They then offered to arrange admission at another medical college in Madhya Pradesh and continued to persuade the complainant that a seat could still be secured. Police said additional payments were allegedly obtained from the victim on this pretext.
The complaint states that the complainant ultimately paid around ₹2.6 million in total. Despite receiving the money, the accused allegedly failed to secure admission to any medical college. When the complainant repeatedly demanded a refund, the suspects allegedly began avoiding him and failed to return the amount, prompting him to approach the police.
Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against the railway official, his wife, and two other accused under relevant provisions relating to cheating and other applicable offences. Investigators are examining bank transactions, the flow of funds, call records, electronic communications, and other digital evidence to establish the sequence of events and identify the role of each accused.
Police are also trying to determine whether the suspects were part of a larger network involved in similar admission frauds targeting parents seeking professional college seats. Investigators are verifying financial records and bank documents to trace where the money was transferred and whether it was diverted through multiple accounts.
Education and cybercrime experts caution that fraudsters often exploit the anxiety surrounding admissions to professional courses by claiming they can secure seats through special contacts, influence, or management quotas. They advise parents to rely only on official counselling processes and authorised admission channels, and to independently verify any such claims before making payments.
Experts further recommend that all admission-related payments be made only through officially recognised institutions and authorised payment mechanisms. They also advise against transferring money to personal bank accounts without proper verification. In cases of suspected admission fraud, victims should immediately report the matter to the local police or the cybercrime authorities to enable a timely investigation and improve the chances of recovering the funds.
