PUNE: Two men were booked on Sunday for duping a girl and her relative of Rs28.81 lakh by promising to help them secure admission to a medical college in Dhankawdi between May 2018 and February this year.The father of the girl, a 48-year-old professor, has lodged a case of cheating against the suspects with the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station. The police have booked the duo for cheating and have launched a manhunt to nab them.The girl from Dhule was seeking admission for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course while her Pune-based relative was seeking admission for the Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course.One of the suspects worked at a private firm in the city with the professor’s relative. “The suspect claimed that he has good connections with the authorities at the college and can help them secure admissions if they make certain payments. The suspect also alleged that he and his accomplice have strong political connections,” said C M Suryavanshi, the assistant inspector of the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station.The relative then contacted the professor and told him about the offer. “The professor came down to Pune in May 2018 and met with the suspects. The suspects claimed that the trustees of the college were from their village in Sangli and would help them secure seats in the medical college,” the professor stated in his complaint.The professor believed the suspects’ claims and gave them Rs28.81 lakh. “The men failed to deliver the promise. After waiting for the confirmation of admission for the past two months, the professor demanded they give him the sum back. When the suspects kept providing excuses instead of returning the money, the professor approached the police,” Suryavanshi added.

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