Sonbhadra: Sonbhadra police arrested three individuals from Lucknow on Wednesday for allegedly defrauding ₹22 lakh by promising MBBS admissions. The accused were produced in court on Thursday and subsequently sent to jail.
A female candidate from the district had filed a complaint at Sonbhadra Cyber Police Station on March 17, reporting that unidentified persons had promised her admission to an MBBS program through the NEET examination. The accused presented themselves as influential figures connected with medical admissions and claimed they could secure confirmed seats in government and private medical colleges. Over multiple phases, a total of ₹22 lakh was transferred to their bank accounts through online channels.
Digital Trail Leads to Arrest in Lucknow
Inspector stated that upon receiving the complaint, the police launched a detailed investigation. During the probe, it was revealed that the gang had been targeting students and aspirants under the guise of MBBS admissions for some time. The accused exploited the hopes and emotions of students and their families to extract significant amounts of money.
On Wednesday evening, the three accused were apprehended near Judio Shopping Mall, close to the Charbagh Bus Stand in Lucknow. Their identities were established as Sanchit Chandra, son of Subhash Chandra, resident of Krishnanagar, Lucknow; Vinay Kumar Maurya, son of late Jitendra Maurya, resident of Kanghi Tola, Newazganj, Lucknow; and Akash Sinha, son of Jai Prakash Sinha, resident of Boigpalli, Sikandarabad, Andhra Pradesh.
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Following their arrest, police recovered seven Android mobile phones, seven ATM cards from different banks, and a blank bank cheque. Investigators are using these devices and documents to trace the entire network of fraud. Officials noted that the accused leveraged online banking, WhatsApp, and other digital channels to swindle multiple candidates.
Modus Operandi and Expanding Investigation
Experts highlighted that frauds under the pretext of medical admissions have become increasingly common, as students and their families are highly sensitive to opportunities in higher education. Such gangs often use digital media and social platforms to make their false claims appear more credible.
Police Advisory and Next Steps
The police have appealed to citizens and students that if they encounter such fake admission agents, they should immediately inform the cyber police or the local station and avoid paying any money under pressure. Authorities emphasized that timely action and awareness play a decisive role in preventing such scams.
Cybercrime specialists noted that apprehending MBBS admission fraud gangs is challenging because they operate across multiple states and erase their digital footprints using online transactions. Consequently, police have intensified monitoring through both digital surveillance and physical checks.
Officials stated that following the arrests and recovery, the investigation is now focused on identifying how many other cases the accused were involved in and tracing the utilization of the scammed funds. Further arrests are expected in the coming days.
