The Tilak Nagar police have arrested three individuals, including two clerks and a middleman, for orchestrating a massive fake admission scam targeting three institutions under Somaiya Vidyavihar University. The accused are alleged to have fabricated documents such as mark sheets, school leaving certificates, and fake email IDs to secure fraudulent admissions for around 50 students into Class 11.
The scam came to light after an internal verification process was initiated by Dr. Kishan Pawar, the Principal of KJ Somaiya Arts and Commerce College. Upon discovering discrepancies, Dr. Pawar filed a complaint with the police, prompting an investigation that led to the arrests.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mahesh Vishnu Patil (49), a clerk at SK Somaiya School and Junior College; Arjun Vasaram Rathod (43), a clerk at KJ Somaiya Arts and Commerce College; and Devendra Suryakant Saide (55), who acted as the middleman coordinating the fraudulent activities. Three additional suspects—Kamlesh Bhai, Jitu Bhai, and Babu Bhai—are currently wanted in connection with the scam.
The investigation revealed that the accused exploited a loophole in the online admission system. While the SSC board data was preloaded into the system, students from CBSE, IB, ICSE, and IGCSE boards required manual entry of their marks and documents. Taking advantage of this, the accused generated fake mark sheets and school leaving certificates to manipulate the system and facilitate fraudulent admissions.
Parents, misled into believing they could secure seats under the ‘management quota’ for the 2024-25 academic year, paid between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh per student to the fraudsters.
As the investigation continues, the police are searching for the three remaining suspects involved in the scam. The authorities have also urged other educational institutions to implement stricter verification processes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The arrested individuals have been charged with forgery, cheating, and conspiracy, and will face legal consequences for their involvement in the fraudulent admission activities.