The Belagavi Market police have arrested Aragonda Arvind, alias Arun Kumar, for allegedly duping NEET aspirants by promising them admission to prestigious MBBS colleges. The scammer, a Telangana native, had collected a total of Rs 1.08 crore from students who underperformed in the NEET exam and later absconded.
As reported by The New Indian Express, the police seized Rs 12 lakh in cash, 15 computers, one laptop, and five mobile phones from Arvind during his arrest in Mumbai. He has since been remanded to judicial custody in Belagavi.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rohan Jagdish praised the Market Police team for their diligent use of technical intelligence to track Arvind. They traced him through his driver’s mobile number, culminating in his capture. The initial complaint against Arvind was filed at the Market Police Station in November 2023.
The investigation revealed that Arvind targeted students who scored poorly in the NEET exam, convincing them and their parents that he could secure their admission into reputable medical colleges for a fee. In Belagavi alone, he amassed Rs 1.08 crore from these students.
DCP Jagdish highlighted the extensive efforts made by the police to locate Arvind, noting that despite his MBA and distinguished academic background, he chose a path of deception. Arvind has a history of similar offences, with multiple cases registered against him in different locations. There are seven cases in Panjagutta Police Station, Hyderabad, four in Jubilee Hills Police Station, Hyderabad, one in Ashok Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, one with the Bhopal (MP) Crime Branch, and one in RT Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru.
Arvind had recently moved to Mumbai, where he planned to start a new NEET career guidance centre to scam more students. However, the Belagavi police apprehended him before he could execute his plan.
