‘Deputy dean promised medical seats, sought Rs 20 lakh as 1st instalment’ | Mumbai News – Times of India

MUMBAI: In one of the most sensational medical admission scams in recent times, the deputy dean of civic-run LTMG Hospital in Sion called victims to his cabin promising them of “sure admission under the dean’s quota” and demanded the first instalment of up to Rs 20 lakh.
This modus operandi adopted by Dr Rakesh Verma, now suspended from service, is part of the 369-page chargesheet filed by Sion police before Kurla metropolitan magistrate court on Thursday. The chargesheet named Verma, one Dr Luv Gupta and absconding Dr Akhilesh Pal.
The case came to light in July 2022 and Verma was arrested in July this year.
The chargesheet said Dr Verma called the Shahapur-based victim and her father, Manohar Patole, to his cabin in Sion Hospital premises and assured them of admission under the dean’s quota. They paid Verma Rs 20 lakh at that time and another Rs 45 lakh when Verma’s accomplice, Luv Gupta, made the victim fill the admission form and emailed him an allotment letter on the dean’s letterhead regarding the admission. Police have also filed a chargesheet against Sahiba Shaikh whose bank account was used by Verma to transfer a few lakhs. Sahiba has procured anticipatory bail from Bombay high court on the grounds that she has no role in the alleged scam. The chargesheet is the first against Verma in the court. Police have attached the statements of various banks in which the money was transferred.
There are 13 offences of cheating registered against Verma and his accomplices.
Last year, the home department had formed a special investigation ieam (SIT) of the crime branch to probe the MBBS admission racket.
The chargesheet is based on the complaint filed by Patole who alleged he was looking for MBBS admission for his daughter. While searching for a seat under the management quota in November 2020, Patole came across Verma whom he met in Sion Hospital. Gupta and Pal were also present.
Gupta demanded Rs 1 crore for a seat at Somaiya Medical College in Sion and Rs 80 lakh for one at Sion medical college. The accused even sent an e-mail using the dean’s ID to the complainant confirming the admission, the officer said.
“From January 2021 to April 2021, the girl attended online classes for MBBS first year. Gupta then started demanding the remaining Rs 45 lakh, but Patole asked him to wait till regular classes began,” said the chargesheet. Later, the complainant learnt an offence was registered against Verma who was suspended; the authorities received a few complaints of irregularities in the hospital. One Alisha Shaikh from Madhya Pradesh who completed her MBBS was looking for post-graduation when she met a tout who on behalf of Verma demanded Rs 1.5 crore, of which her father paid Rs 29 lakh. She was upset to learn that Verma was suspended.
Investigating officer, assistant inspector Santosh Tagad, and senior inspector Manisha Shirke confirmed the chargesheet was filed in the case.