In a significant bust, police have arrested two individuals, Saurabh Upadhyay and Sapan Taneja, for running a fake college admission operation under the guise of ‘Edupedia Education Center’ in Dwarka, New Delhi. The arrests followed a complaint from a father seeking admission for his daughter in an MBBS program.
According to police reports, the complainant, a resident of Delhi and employee at a private firm, visited Upadhyay’s office on August 26 after his daughter took the NEET 2024 entrance exam. During this visit, Taneja filled out an admission form, promising a seat at Government Medical College (GMC) in Byculla, and collected Rs7,700 as part of the process.
The accused initially demanded Rs45 lakh for the total admission expenses. The complainant paid Rs2 lakh in two installments on September 5 and September 8, transferring the money to the accused’s bank account. The duo then arranged a meeting in Mumbai on September 12, where they promised to facilitate an interview with a senior doctor.
At the meeting, held at 1 PM at the Government Medical College, Byculla, the suspects took the complainant and his daughter to a doctor’s office, claiming they needed to conduct an interview. One of the accused even collected the girl’s documents and a blood sample, saying it was part of the admission process.
However, the complainant grew suspicious and reached out to a lawyer friend in Mumbai, who contacted police officer Rupesh Bhagwat at the Cuffe Parade police station. Bhagwat informed Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Mundhe, and they laid a trap near the Gateway of India.
Upon their arrival, the accused were arrested. The incident fell under the jurisdiction of the Sir JJ police station, leading to an FIR being filed against the suspects under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Both Upadhyay and Taneja have had their bank accounts frozen, and they were presented in court, where they were remanded to police custody until September 18.