Cyber unit registers case after family pays ₹8 lakh for fake IIT admission
Asansol police have launched a probe after a local student’s family paid ₹8 lakh to persons who posed as representatives of an educational consultancy and sent a forged admission communication claiming the student had secured a seat at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad.
The victim, who had appeared for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) this year, did not receive any official registration details or confirmation from IIT‑Hyderabad after following the fraudsters’ instructions and remitting the money. On independently checking with the institute, the family discovered they had been the target of a scam and lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station under the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate (ADPC). Police said they have opened an investigation and are tracing the digital footprint and the bank accounts used by the accused.
- Victim: an Asansol student who appeared for JEE this year.
- Amount lost: ₹8 lakh, paid as alleged processing/consultancy fees.
- Action taken: case registered at Cyber Crime Police Station, ADPC; no arrests yet.
Sections 316(2), 318(2), 319(2), 61(3), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to police records, the accused initially contacted the family claiming to be from an educational consultancy. They dispatched a detailed and personalised email indicating an offer for the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) programme at IIT‑Hyderabad. Trusting the communication, the family complied with the payment demand, wired as alleged processing fees and consultancy charges. The absence of subsequent official communication prompted the family to verify directly with the institute, whereupon the deception came to light and a formal complaint was filed.
Investigators in the cyber cell have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and are examining electronic trails and banking transactions to identify the perpetrators. As of now, police said no arrests or detentions have been made while the probe continues.
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial contact | Detailed, personalised email claiming IIT‑Hyderabad admission |
| Payment | ₹8 lakh paid as processing/consultancy fees |
| Complaint | Filed at Cyber Crime Police Station, ADPC |
| Legal sections | Sections 316(2), 318(2), 319(2), 61(3), 3(5) of BNS |
The case highlights two recurring concerns for parents and aspirants in Bengal: the sophistication of cyber‑enabled education scams, and a continued need for awareness about the formal admission route to premier technical institutes. For admission into B.Tech programmes at IITs, an aspirant must clear JEE Main and then JEE Advanced, followed by seat allocation through the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA); official communications and seat offers are issued only through those channels and institute portals, not via unsolicited email from consultants.
Police action in the region has seen similar arrests in recent weeks. In July, West Bengal police detained nine persons in Rishra, Hooghly, following a raid on rented premises where suspects were allegedly using mobile phones to run fraudulent operations. That operation began after a tip‑off and involved searches at multiple locations, indicating a pattern of mobile‑based scamming rings operating out of transient accommodation.
Investigators in Asansol said they would examine banking records and communication metadata to map the network used in the present case. Local educators and counselling agencies emphasise that families and students verify any admission offers directly with the institute and the JoSAA portal, and report suspicious approaches to the cyber crime cell without delay.
