Sachin Shah, 28, an MBA who duped students after promising them seats in the city's top medical colleges, has been nabbed by the police, finally.
He would promise you a medical seat, take the money, and hand you a certificate
MUMBAI: Call it the case of downhill careers. Sachin Shah, 28, an MBA who duped students after promising them seats in the city's top medical colleges, has been nabbed by the police, finally.
Shah was arrested by officials of the BKC police station from his residence at Vasant Leela Housing Society, Thane West, and charged with cheating.
The arrest is the culmination of a cheating complaint filed on April 10, 2007, by Gaurav Mehandiratta, from Allahabad, who said he had been duped of Rs35 lakh.
Mehandiratta had seen an ad in a newspaper and come down to Mumbai to meet Shah at his office in Andheri. "Shah promised Mehandiratta a seat for a medical course in MS (Orthopaedic) at DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Navi Mumbai. Mehandiratta paid Rs35 lakh to complete the admission process," said Rolfie Pereira, senior police inspector, BKC police station. Shah even issued a guarantee letter typed on college letter-head. However, Mehandiratta realised he was cheated when Shah stopped taking his calls. "Shah's arrest has led us to many other cheating cases," said Pereira.
But how did the racket operate? Shah put out ads in newspapers for MBBS admissions through his institution Career Avenue, which was based in Andheri. Bogus confirmation certificates were issued to unsuspecting people on the letterheads of Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth and Terna Medical College, Nerul. Money was obtained from gullible people mostly through pay orders and cheques. The pay orders and cheques were encashed at Nagri Sahakari Bank in Dindoshi and Apna Sahakari Bank in Bhiwandi, where accounts were opened accounts in the name of the colleges. Simultaneously, Shah also ran a mobile phone business employing 75 people.
But his cover was blown by the police after they started tracking his calls. Soon, the Thane Nagar police arrested co-accused Ketan Vaidya and Ajitesh Sarangi, leading them to the kingpin. The duo identified the mobile numbers Shah was using, the police said.
Interestingly, Shah didn't have a single asset in his name. The offices he used were all rented. "He purchased assets in the name of his family-members," said Pereira.
"We have interrogated his wife who told us that she separated from her husband when she learnt of the scam. But we were not fully satified with her statement."
Meanwhile, Shah's father-in-law, who did not wish to be named, said his daughter did not have any part in the crime. "She is in innocent and has been trapped by Shah. When we learnt about the scam, my daughter filed a divorce petition in the family court in May 2006," he said.
With Shah's arrest, the police believe they have put another nasty career to a stop.
narayan@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}