NEET Scam: Mastermind of 100 Crore Admission Racket, Who Travelled to 110 Countries, Arrested

NEET Scam Abhinav Sharma: One of the biggest scams related to the country's medical entrance examination NEET was exposed when the police arrested 35-year-old Abhinav Sharma. This person, who studied B.Tech (Mechanical) from an ordinary private college, turned out to be the mastermind of a Rs 100 crore admission scam.

What the police initially considered a "normal examination fraud" gradually transformed into a vast, highly organised, and technically robust criminal empire. Sharma was not only operating a large network spread across six states in India but was also living a life that would leave even top corporate executives behind.

Travelled to 110 Countries - A Facade of 'Global Business Tycoon' Built with Crime Proceeds

• Investigations revealed that Abhinav Sharma had travelled to over 110 countries.
• Europe
• North America
• Central Asia
• South America
• Middle East

He possessed air tickets to major countries on almost every continent. Every journey he took was in business class. Staying in seven-star hotels, travelling abroad for months, and presenting himself as an international education expert was his daily lifestyle. According to DCP Crime Kamlesh Dixit, Abhinav's lifestyle was far beyond that of top corporate executives. His way of living gave no indication that he was a criminal running an examination racket.

Expensive sunglasses, a collection of Swiss watches, designer shoes – his hobbies were no less than those of a prince. Sharma owned imported sunglasses worth two lakh rupees, Swiss watches worth five lakh rupees each, platinum bracelets, luxury perfumes, and a large collection of designer shirts, suits, and tuxedos. He would wear custom-tailored tuxedos at the airport. His social media was filled with a long string of foreign travel and party photos, which are now part of the investigation.

Lavish Spending on Girlfriend - Gifts worth ₹5-10 Lakhs, Luxury Parties

• According to the investigation team, Sharma spent lavishly on women.
• Gifts worth ₹5–10 Lakhs
• Parties in high-end apartments in Goa, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kathmandu, and Dubai
• Taking them along on foreign trips
• All of this was part of his ostentatious 'high-profile life', which was actually created to conceal his criminal network.

Started the "Consultancy" in 2012, The NEET Scam Empire Was Built From Here

Sharma began his career with an admission handling job at a Delhi-based company, where he meticulously understood the weaknesses of India's college admission system. Within just one year, he decided to run his own network.

In 2012, he opened his "consultancy office." Subsequently, he built an army of intermediaries, started transactions through fake accounts, and began accepting lakhs of rupees in the name of management quota seats. The target families were those whose children were repeatedly failing NEET and were desperate for a medical seat.

22 Bigha Plot, Fake Accounts, Management Quota Deception - Collected ₹18 to ₹45 Lakhs

• Sharma's racket used to collect ₹18 lakh to ₹45 lakh from families.
• Transactions
• Cash
• Demand Drafts
• Online Transfers

Everything was deposited into fake accounts opened in the name of "Hind Institute of Medical Sciences" to make it all appear legitimate.

Coaching Front, Dummy Candidates, Network Spread Across Six States

• His gang included:
• Coaching owners
• Fake candidates
• Brokers
• People managing banking channels
• Agents preparing fake documents
• The NEET paper was not leaked; instead, the racket directly promised admissions in the name of the management quota.
• Sharma had built a network spread across several states, making it difficult to lodge complaints.
• Continued to Operate Racket from Jail - Friendship with Santosh Kumar Became the Link

Investigations revealed that Sharma met Santosh Kumar while serving time in jail for an old case; Santosh himself was an accused in fraud. The two began weaving a new web from within. During this time, Sharma also escaped from police custody by jumping off a train! Subsequently, he lived under different identities and operated across the country using five fake identities.

Invited Bollywood Celebrities - Attempted to Create an 'Education Icon' Image

According to the police, he had also invited some Bollywood celebrities to his seminars and events to project himself as a trustworthy education expert with 'celebrity connections'. Families were easily deceived by his sophisticated image. Complaints increased, and the cybercrime police became active. The arrest near Kathauta Lake occurred after several families complained about not getting admissions even after paying money, leading the case to the Lucknow Cyber Crime police station.

• Several FIRs were registered.
• Sections of the IPC and IT Act 66D were applied.
• Investigation of electronic and banking evidence began.
• Finally, on Wednesday, the police arrested Abhinav Sharma and Santosh Kumar in a raid near Kathauta Lake.

Investigation Now Focused on Recovery of Crores and Network Mapping

According to officials, Sharma has squandered crores of rupees worldwide, with significant funds spent on foreign trips, shopping, and parties. Properties were purchased domestically and internationally using five different identities. The police are now investigating the seizure of his assets, mapping his entire network, and examining the fake accounts.

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