NEW DELHI – In a significant operation just hours before the NEET-UG 2026 examination, the Delhi Police Crime Branch dismantled an organized inter-state racket promising guaranteed MBBS admissions for exorbitant sums. The crackdown led to the arrest of four individuals, including a doctor and the suspected mastermind, and the rescue of 18 students—some of them minors—from a secluded flat in Ghaziabad.
The Modus Operandi
The syndicate allegedly targeted aspiring medical students and their families, particularly from Gujarat, offering “guaranteed” medical seats in exchange for payments ranging between ₹20 lakh and ₹30 lakh. To gain the trust of desperate parents, the group provided “fake” question papers created from previous years’ materials and coaching institute content.
According to investigators, the accused would take a token payment in cash and secure the remaining amount through original Class 10 and 12 mark sheets and blank signed cheques. This ensured they maintained absolute control over the victims during the admission cycle.
The Arrests and Rescue Operation
The operation was initiated following a specific intelligence tip-off from the Surat Police regarding a suspect facilitating illegal admissions from the national capital. Utilizing technical surveillance, Crime Branch teams searched nearly 100 hotels in the Mahipalpur Extension area before identifying the key suspects.
A subsequent trap laid near a hospital in Ghaziabad led to the rescue of three students and the apprehension of the alleged mastermind, Santosh Kumar Jaiswal. Following leads from Jaiswal, police raided a nearby flat where 15 additional students were being held under the pretext of being prepared for the exam. The rescued students were later counseled and permitted to sit for the NEET-UG 2026 examination on May 3.
Key Suspects Identified
The four individuals arrested have been identified as:
- Santosh Kumar Jaiswal (50): A resident of East of Kailash and the alleged mastermind who conceptualized the fraud.
- Dr. Akhlaq Alam, alias Golden Alam (25): Originally from Bihar, Alam completed his MBBS in Kyrgyzstan and was reportedly preparing for the National Medical Commission (NMC) screening test. His role was to prepare the fraudulent question papers.
- Sant Pratap Singh (59): A B.Tech graduate from Pune and a real estate dealer from Lucknow, who managed logistics and accommodation.
- Vinod Bhai Bhikha Bhai Patel (52): A Gujarat-based broker responsible for identifying and approaching vulnerable families.
Evidence and Legal Action
During the raids, police recovered 149 pages of purported question-and-answer material, incriminating documents, and blank signed cheques belonging to the victims. A case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Crime Branch police station.
