A woman and her father were allegedly duped of ₹36.68 lakh in Kanpur's Kalyanpur area after being promised an assistant professor's job and admission to a PhD programme, an ordeal that stretched over months before the family finally approached police.
How the Alleged Fraud Began
The woman, a resident of Chaitanya Vihar, had appeared for the National Eligibility Test (NET) in December 2023. After the results were declared, the accused, an acquaintance of her uncle, allegedly approached her claiming to have strong connections within the University Grants Commission (UGC). He allegedly told her he could arrange an assistant professor's appointment, alongside admission to a PhD programme at Jhansi Central University and a research guide to supervise her.
Why Her Documents Were Taken
According to the complaint, once he'd gained the family's confidence, the accused took her admit card and academic certificates. He then began demanding money for different purposes, each allegedly connected to the promised appointment and PhD admission, with the family continuing to pay, believing the process was genuinely progressing toward those opportunities.
Where the Money Actually Went
In February 2024, money was allegedly collected in the name of "training." Further payments followed in March for university admission, a laptop, a dress kit, and arranging a PhD guide. The demands continued from there, covering everything from arranging a room to paying electricity bills and depositing vehicle tax, an escalating list of unrelated expenses that, in hindsight, had little to do with an actual academic appointment.
Throughout, the accused allegedly assured the woman and her father that all the money would be returned once she received the appointment and formally joined the job. When that joining never materialised, despite a long wait, the woman grew suspicious. She stopped making further payments after June 2024 and demanded the return of everything already paid. According to the complaint, the accused then began avoiding the matter entirely, failing to provide any satisfactory explanation.
How the UGC Claim Fell Apart
At some point, the woman checked the mobile number she'd been given as belonging to a UGC official. According to her complaint, the number wasn't registered to any UGC official at all, it was allegedly registered in the accused's own name, a discovery that confirmed her growing suspicion that the entire arrangement had been built on a fabricated connection to the government academic body.
A Threat After the Complaint
The woman later submitted a complaint to the Governor and was advised to approach police. She alleged that after the accused learned about her complaint, he threatened to kill her on July 2. She also claims he still possesses her stamp papers, Aadhaar cards belonging to family members, and four blank cheques, documents that, if genuinely still in his possession, represent an ongoing vulnerability well beyond the money already lost.
What Police Are Doing Now
Following a formal complaint to the Police Commissioner, a case was registered at Kalyanpur police station. The Assistant Commissioner of Police confirmed the allegations are being investigated. Police are examining financial transactions, documents, and other evidence connected to the case, including the specific bank transactions tied to the ₹36.68 lakh allegedly collected in the name of the job and PhD admission, a financial investigation that will need to trace exactly where that money ultimately ended up. Further action will depend on the evidence gathered during the ongoing probe.
The Takeaway: Verify Before You Pay
Job seekers and students should be genuinely cautious whenever someone claims personal connections with regulators or universities and asks for money to secure a job, admission, or academic position. Any such offer should be independently verified directly with the concerned institution, before handing over documents, blank cheques, or money to anyone, regardless of how trusted or well-connected they claim to be.
FAQs
Q1. How much money is the woman's family alleged to have lost?
₹36.68 lakh, paid in instalments between February and June 2024 for various expenses connected to a promised job and PhD admission.
Q2. How was the accused's claim of UGC connections exposed?
The woman checked the mobile number given to her as belonging to a UGC official, and found it was actually registered in the accused's own name.
Q3. What happened after the woman filed a complaint?
She alleges the accused threatened to kill her on July 2, and that he still holds her stamp papers, family Aadhaar cards, and four blank cheques.
Q4. What are police currently examining?
Financial transactions, documents, and other evidence connected to the case, including the bank trail tied to the ₹36.68 lakh allegedly collected.