My College Khoj Scam: Pune Woman Duped of Rs 2 Lakh by Fake Overseas Education Agents; FIR Registered

A 24-year-old girl's dream of obtaining a Master's Degree in Management Studies and Digital Marketing from a renowned university in Italy was shattered after she was duped for almost Rs 2 lakh by fraudsters claiming to be overseas education agents in Pune. Acting on a complaint filed by the victim, Smruti Swadhin Khaduala, an FIR has been registered at the Vimantal police station.

Smruti Swadhin Khaduala (age 24, resident of Ambarnath West, Thane) has completed a BMS degree from a renowned college in Ulhasnagar and has been working in a private firm since October 2023. Smruti decided to pursue her master's degree in Management Studies and Digital Marketing from a university in Italy and accordingly was searching for options on the internet when she saw mycollegekhoj.com on her Instagram page, where overseas education with attractive offers was mentioned. Accordingly, Smruti visited the website and called the phone number provided, where she was asked to visit their office in East Court, opposite Phionex Mall at Viman Nagar in Pune.

As per the FIR filed at the Vimantal police station, Smruti visited the office in December 2022, where she was introduced to the accused, Amit Kumar and Pratima Bhati. The accused gained the trust of the complainant and assured her of total assistance in obtaining the Visa for Italy and admission for her Master's degree at Parthnop College in Naples and asked her to pay Rs 1.50 lakh as service charges. Accordingly, the complainant discussed with her parents and registered online on February 22, 2023, and transferred Rs 50000 to Pratima Bhatis's bank account from her mother’s bank account. On July 07, 2023, Pratima’s husband Amit Kumar asked Smruti to pay Rs 50000. Accordingly, Smruti paid Rs 1.50 lakh to the accused at regular intervals. When Smruti enquired about the status of her admission and Visa, the manager of My College, Khoj, and the co-accused Saurabh Jha, assured her that she would get the details.

As the process was taking longer time than expected, Smruti visited My College Khoj office in Pune, where the accused Amitkumar, Pratima and Saurabh informed her that her Visa was rejected as her mother’s bank account did not have high-value transactions. The accused asked Smruti to pay an additional Rs 50000 and assured her that they would get her Visa approved. Accordingly, on July 21, 2023, Smruti transferred Rs 50000 to Amitkumar's bank account.  

On October 28, 2023, Smruti received a follow-up call from Saurabh Jha, where she was told that her process was almost complete and asked to pay Rs 6,500 for international health insurance. Accordingly, Smruti transferred the said amount via UPI on the QR code provided by the accused Saurabh Jha.

On January 24, 2024, when the complainant called to inquire about her visa Saurabh Jha informed her that they were preparing her bank statements and would provide her with the statements with the seal and signature of the bank and asked her to submit the statements at the Visa office. Smruti grew suspicious of the process, and when she asked Saurabh about the bank statements, he informed her that if she failed to follow the process, she would lose the money that she had paid, and her visa would be rejected.

When the complainant further inquired about the company, she learned that four more aspirants were duped by the accused in the same fashion. On January 31, Smruti, with the help of Kiran Misal of BJP Youth Wing, filed a complaint at the Commissioner of Pune Police office. Accordingly, on February 02, 2024, the police team of Vimantal Police Station, along with the complainant, visited the office premises of My College Khoj in a private vehicle. The police asked the complainant to go into the office while they were waiting outside. Accordingly, the complainant went into the office where the accused, Saurabh Jha, used forged bank seals to stamp the fake bank statements, and Poonam Rajpurohit signed as the bank manager on the statement in the presence of the complainant. Meanwhile, the police team rushed into the office detained the accused and recovered the fake stamps and bank statements.

An under sections 34, 420, 464, 435 and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the accused Amit Kumar, Pratima Bhati, Saurabh Jha and Poonam Rajpurohit and further probe is underway. Police Inspector Anandrao Khobre of the Vimantal police station while talking to LokmatTimes.com said, “One male accused has been detained while the search for the other accused is ongoing, further probe in this case is underway.”