Mumbai Police have dismantled a sophisticated fake admission racket operating from two call centers in Pune. The gang cheated parents of lakhs by promising seats in elite institutions like IIT Hyderabad, leading to the seizure of assets worth ₹1.35 crore.
- Two bogus call centers in Lohegaon and Kharadi (Pune) raided.
- 10 suspects arrested, including 5 B.Tech graduates and other engineering backgrounds.
- Assets worth ₹1.35 crore seized, including BMW and Jaguar luxury cars.
- Fraud network spanned Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat.
The Mumbai Police have executed a major crackdown on a fraudulent college admission syndicate, arresting 10 individuals who operated two illegal call centers in Pune. The gang targeted desperate parents by promising guaranteed admissions into some of India's most prestigious educational institutions. Investigations reveal that the operation was wide-reaching, with linked cases across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat.
The investigation began after Gracy Peter Gwami, a resident of Mumbai, filed a complaint. She had encountered an advertisement on an Instagram page called 'techorbit1111', which claimed to facilitate admissions into IIT Hyderabad via NRI or management quotas. To establish credibility, the scammers even took the complainant to the IIT Hyderabad campus. Over time, they extracted ₹16.50 lakh under the guise of deposits and academic fees before cutting off all communication.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that this crime is a calculated exploitation of the high-pressure academic environment in India. The fact that the perpetrators are engineering graduates is particularly alarming; they leveraged their technical knowledge of admission cycles and terminology to build a facade of authenticity, making the scam nearly indistinguishable from legitimate consultancy services.
The shift toward using social media for 'lead generation' in academic fraud indicates a dangerous evolution in how white-collar criminals target middle-class aspirations.
During the raids in Lohegaon and Kharadi on August 14, 2026, police recovered 22 mobile phones, 23 SIM cards, laptops, and several bank debit cards. A significant find was the seizure of luxury vehicles—a BMW, a Jaguar, and a Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. To evade detection, the main accused had registered these high-end cars in the names of third parties.
Datta Nalawade, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone 3), highlighted that the suspects' engineering backgrounds were key to their success. By using specific technical terms and demonstrating familiarity with the admission process, they were able to manipulate victims into paying large sums of money. The racket had reportedly been operating since 2019, scaling up its operations in 2024.
| Detail | Findings / Seizures |
|---|---|
| Total Arrests | 10 Individuals |
| Total Asset Value | ₹1.35 Crore |
| Luxury Vehicles | BMW, Jaguar, Ciaz |
| Regional Reach | Maharashtra, UP, Karnataka, Gujarat |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which educational institutions were impersonated by the gang?
The gang used names of prestigious institutes including IIT Hyderabad, Pune Institute of Computer Technology, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, and Delhi Technological University.
2. How did the suspects convince parents that the admissions were real?
They used their engineering knowledge to speak authoritatively about quotas and even took victims to actual college campuses to create a false sense of legitimacy.
