BJP Leader Alleges Rs 55 Lakh Medical Admission Fraud In Vadodara, 5 Booked

Five people have been booked on charges of cheating in Vadodara, Gujarat, after a BJP official complained that they had defrauded him of Rs 55 lakh by offering his son a seat in a private medical college. According to Mukesh Dixit, he entered into the purported agreement after his son performed poorly in NEET, the all-India entrance exam for medical admissions.

He claimed that the alleged payments were made in 2019 for a management quota seat in a medical college in Rajasthan or Maharashtra, but no admission followed. According to Dixit, the alleged accused also assured him of a refund, but the cheques they sent him bounced.

BJP Leader's Son Sought Medical Admission Through Management Quota

Dixit, 56, was the head of the BJP unit's media division in the city and a former corporator of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation. His son Shivang had completed Class 12 in the Science stream and intended to become a doctor, according to the FIR. Due to his poor NEET score, he was unable to secure admission through the merit list. Dixit then began seeking a management quota seat at a private college.

Dixit said that the accused allegedly informed him that admission to a private medical college in Karnataka, Maharashtra, or Rajasthan would cost approximately Rs 60 lakh.

"I didn't want to send my son to Karnataka, so I chose Maharashtra and Rajasthan. My daughter was already enrolled in a merit-based medical programme at a government medical college in Vadodara. For a better future, I wanted my son to pursue a career in medicine as well. This is how a lot of people do it," he said.

"The accused initially took three cheques drawn on my account for about Rs 60 lakh. A sum of Rs 15 lakh was deposited into the account of an entity identified in the complaint as Orbital Career. Thereafter, no cheque was deposited," he said.

Accused Allegedly Asked Dixit To Pay Rs 40 Lakh In Cash

According to Dixit, he then got in touch with the accused to ask about the procedure and the next payment. They asked him to arrange Rs 40 lakh in cash after informing him that they were having trouble accepting cheques as payment. He gave them the money after consulting his accountant.

According to the FIR, the accused then showed him several letters on a mobile phone and claimed that the admission process was underway.

The FIR states that the accused then notified Dixit in May and June 2019 that there were no more management quota seats available and that the admission process had concluded. He was allegedly informed by the accused that the admission would be finalised the following year. That also did not happen.

"I had already paid a total of Rs 55 lakh by that point. They were unable to keep their word, though. A seven-year ordeal began when I asked for a refund," Dixit said.

Accused Allegedly Fled Vadodara After Refund Cheques Bounced

Dixit claimed that he repeatedly reminded Sarangi to return the money. He later received cheques from the accused as a refund, but they bounced. The accused later left their workplace in Vadodara and allegedly fled. "I was advised to approach the civil court when I initially went to the police in 2022. In addition, I was seriously ill during the pandemic and lost nearly two years as a result of COVID-19. I decided to pursue the matter again once I regained my strength," he stated in the complaint.

According to the FIR, which was filed on September 1, the five accused allegedly participated in a prearranged conspiracy to cheat Dixit by promising admission for his son. Sarangi, a native of Vadodara, his wife Tejal, Chandresh Yagnik, and Ranjit Mukhiya and Sanjiv Jha of Delhi have all been named as accused by the police.

Dixit further mentioned that his son went on to pursue a physiotherapy course. His daughter is currently enrolled in a postgraduate programme at a government medical college in Ahmedabad. According to a Gorwa police station spokesperson, the investigation has begun and the accused will be called for questioning.