A 29-year-old doctor attached to Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute in Puducherry, was among four arrested on Tuesday, for cheating a Chennai-based businessman of `35 lakh, on the promise of securing an MBBS seat for his daughter in Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. Police attached to the District Crime Branch (DCB) have also launched a search for their associates.
Adhavan, a businessman from Porur in Chennai, lodged a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, Vellore, on August 2, stating that G John Peter (43) of Salem and five of his associates had cheated him to the tune of `35 lakh after promising to arrange an MBBS seat for his daughter, who secured 997 marks in the public examination, in CMC.
Peter had told him that two staff of CMC Hospital would get the medical seats for them. Adhavan gave `15 lakh and `20 lakh on May 3 and May 16, respectively, to him and his aide on the premises of the CMC hospital.
John Peter and his associate promised that Adhavan’s daughter’s name would appear on the selection list. However, the girl’s name did not appear, Adhavan said in the complaint, and added that they had also cheated many others like him.
Acting on the complaint, the SP directed the DCB to probe the case and nab the entire group. The police team led by inspector A Alex picked up Peter and his associates
P Balasubramani (36) and T Mohanraj (27) of Salem and Dr P Elango (29) of Puducherry from the New Bus Stand during the late hours of Monday for inquiry. On interrogation, the four confessed that they had cheated Adhavan and many others by making false promises.
They had also received Rs 61 lakh from another victim recently. Dr Elango, who was working at Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute in Puducherry, had received a commission of `3 lakh for the deal, said police attached to DCB. The DCB team launched a detailed inquiry into the case to nab the entire gang.
A case has been registered against the four under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of IPC. They were remanded to the Vellore Central Prison for Men.