The accused has been identified as Meghna Santosh Satpute, a nurse residing in Andheri East. She is married and has two children. Police suspect she may have defrauded several other families using similar tactics
Meghna Santosh Satpute, the accused nurse. Pic/By Special Arrangement
The Versova police have arrested a nurse for allegedly duping a 51-year-old woman of Rs 45 lakh by falsely promising an MBBS seat for her daughter under the management quota. The accused posed as part of a well-connected group linked to a reputable medical college in Sindhudurg, luring the victim with forged documents and false assurances.
The accused has been identified as Meghna Santosh Satpute, a nurse residing in Andheri East. She is married and has two children. Police suspect she may have defrauded several other families using similar tactics.
According to police sources, the complainant, a medical assistant working with a local doctor in Versova, has lived in the area for over 25 years. Her 23-year-old daughter, pursuing a BHMS degree in Bengaluru, had scored 315 marks in NEET 2020. Hoping to secure an MBBS seat, the mother was introduced to Satpute, who claimed she could arrange admission through her contacts at SSPM Medical College and Lifetime Hospital in Kudal, Sindhudurg.
In March 2021, Satpute arranged a meeting at her residence, where the victim met Nitesh Pawar and Rakesh Gawde Pawar, who posed as trustees of the college. They assured her of a confirmed seat under the management quota for R15 lakh.
Trusting Satpute and her associates, the woman transferred R15 lakh via RTGS and NEFT to bank accounts provided by the accused. Later, citing “COVID-era policy changes,” the accused claimed the fee had increased to Rs 45 lakh. Desperate to secure her daughter’s future, the woman borrowed money from friends and relatives, eventually paying Rs 38.65 lakh via bank transfers and R6.35 lakh in cash.
To make the process appear genuine, the accused provided fake merit lists, forged admission letters on official-looking letterheads, and used stamps and seals resembling those of the college. They also warned the complainant that repeated follow-ups could result in cancellation of the admission and a 50 per cent deduction in the refund.
When the supposed joining date in December 2021 passed without any official communication, the complainant grew suspicious. Her calls to Satpute and the others went unanswered, and eventually, her number was blocked. She then contacted SSPM Medical College directly and discovered that no admission had ever been granted in her daughter’s name.
Realising she had been conned, she approached the Versova police station, where a case was registered under charges of cheating, forgery, and impersonation.
Under the guidance of senior officials, API Sajjan Landge and PSI Patil led the investigation and recently arrested Satpute. A manhunt has been launched for the remaining accused. “Preliminary investigations suggest Satpute may have similarly duped multiple people. We urge other potential victims to come forward and report the crime,” an officer said.
Satpute is currently in custody, and further investigation is underway to trace other victims and accomplices involved in the medical admission racket.
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