The Tilak Nagar police have arrested a fourth suspect, Pandit Karanke, a 42-year-old junior clerk in the state education department, in connection with the Somaiya College admission scam. Karanke’s role allegedly involved verifying documents during the class 11 admission process at the Ghatkopar East center for the 2024-25 academic year. His arrest follows the earlier detention of three other individuals linked to the racket.
Previously, police had apprehended Mahendra Patil and Arjun Rathod, clerks from Somaiya College, along with Devendra Saide, who was accused of fabricating fake marksheets and leaving certificates (LCs). Reports suggest that the suspects charged ₹2-3 lakh per student to falsify academic records, facilitating the admission of approximately 50 ineligible students. Investigations revealed that Karanke had approved fraudulent documents submitted by Rathod. The police presented him in court, and he was remanded to custody until December 25. This case has drawn significant attention for exposing the widespread misuse of the admission system at institutions under the Somaiya Vidyavihar University umbrella.
The scam came to light after Dr. Kishan Pawar, principal of K.J. Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, lodged a complaint on December 16. Dr. Pawar reported irregularities in the admission process after parents of a high-performing student questioned why their child was denied admission. A subsequent review by the college uncovered instances where academic scores had been fraudulently inflated, and fake documents had been submitted to secure admissions. It was also revealed that the accused accepted monetary bribes to carry out these acts.
In response, the college formed a scrutiny committee to investigate the authenticity of submitted documents. The committee contacted students and parents via phone and email, asking them to present original records. Upon verification, it was found that 50 students had gained admission through illegal means. The police confirmed that the racket extended beyond K.J. Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce to other institutions under Somaiya Vidyavihar University, including Shri S.K. Somaiya Vinay Mandir Secondary School and Junior College and K.J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce. Inspector Dilip Mane from the Tilak Nagar police station stated that the scam was part of a larger “cash-for-admission” scheme that had been operating across these colleges.
Further investigations revealed that the clerks, Patil and Rathod, had collaborated with associates identified as Kamleshbhai, Jitubhai, and Babubhai to create fake login credentials for students, enabling their fraudulent admissions. To ensure a comprehensive probe, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an assistant commissioner of police has been formed to uncover the full extent of the scam and hold those involved accountable.
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