Mumbai: 3 Arrested For Fraud In Name Of Online School Admission

Mumbai, February 25: The Gamdevi police have apprehended three individuals in connection with a fraudulent scheme related to school admissions. The accused, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, allegedly obtained school admission data and impersonated Swami Francis from the school's administrative department. In one instance, they collected Rs30,000 for admission to Campion School in Malabar Hill and Rs3.5 lakhs in the case reported at Gamdevi police station.

The incident came to light when Vimal Dev Thakkar (74) filed a complaint stating that his daughter-in-law, a doctor, had applied online for her 3-year-3 month old child's admission to Campion School, Colaba. After receiving an email invitation for an interview on January 11, Thakkar was informed during document submission that she would receive a call within 15 days.

Here's How Victim Was Duped:

On January 17, Thakkar received a call from someone claiming to be Swami Francis from Campion School's administrative department. The imposter demanded a donation of Rs3.5 lakhs and an annual fee of ₹95,000 for the child's admission. Thakkar transferred Rs3.5 lakhs to the provided bank account. The next day, when attempting to follow up at the school, Thakkar discovered there was no appointment, leading to suspicions and a subsequent complaint to Gamdevi police.

The police have arrested three suspects: Dharmendra Kumar Sharda Prasad (40), Ashish Shukla (21), and Mehfooz Shaikh (40), all residents of Kaushambi district in Uttar Pradesh. Dharmendra Kumar Sharda Prasad was apprehended based on a mobile number. Further investigation revealed that Shukla and Shaikh were arrested by V P Road Police for violating the IT Act.

The authorities continue to investigate the matter, seeking information on how the fraudsters obtained Thakkar's contact details. The arrests highlight the need for vigilance in the face of fraudulent activities targeting school admissions.