The Raigad Police arrested four persons for allegedly duping a Kolhapur-based man of Rs 32.50 lakh on the pretext of admitting his daughter to an MBBS course. The accused persons after taking the cash were rushing to West Bengal. Four of the seven gang members were arrested before they could reach the eastern state. Cops have recovered Rs 20 Lakh cash from the accused.

Abhijeet Wanire, a 52-year-old Kolhapur resident, received a call in August 2023, asking whether he needed help in getting an MBBS seat for his daughter. The person identified himself as Pankaj Mehta, a member of an MBBS admission consultancy. He told Wanire he could get him admission to colleges based in West Bengal, Chennai or Bengaluru. Wanire asked whether he could arrange a seat in a medical college in Maharashtra to which Mehta replied negatively and hung up.