BTech Graduate Mastermind Ran Engineering Admission Racket, Recruited Nine Unemployed Engineers

Mumbai police busted an engineering admission racket allegedly masterminded by 32-year-old Sonu Kumar, a BTech graduate who remained unemployed since 2024. Kumar recruited nine unemployed engineers from Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, misleading their families by claiming they were in Pune for a company project while staying in rented flats.

The accused used his knowledge of admission procedures at MIT College, Pune, where he graduated, to devise the scheme. Using burner phones, fake social media accounts and SIM cards, the group targeted students online, gaining their confidence before demanding money. Police said they defrauded at least 35 people of around ₹50 lakh by falsely promising management and NRI-quota engineering seats.

Polizia Powai raided three flats in Viman Nagar on August 15 after a 36-hour search near Pune airport. Senior inspector Atmaji Sawant noted all 10 accused were either unemployed or held small jobs, with Kumar's real estate venture also having failed.