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IIT-Kharagpur fetes ‘conman’, later files FIR
- The Statesman
- 24 Aug 2014
biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 23 AUG: In a queer case, IIT Kharagpur felicitated a person, who claimed to be an alumnus and Director, Corporate Finance at Deutsche Bank, but soon came to know from various sources that he was a conman. He was felicitated during the IIT’s 63rd foundation day celebrations on 18 August.
The man - Vijay Kumar, who also claimed to be an ex-Vice President of Microsoft, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur (2003 batch) from E&ECE Department and IIM, Ahmedabad (2005 batch) even proposed to donate Rs 1.56 crore towards some Institute initiatives which were announced by the Institute at the foundation day function.
Later, the IIT authorities received information from various sources alleging that the credentials of this person appear to be questionable and false. Accordingly, IIT Kharagpur filed an FIR with local police authorities urging them to investigate the identity and credentials of this person.
The incident comes at a time when the IIT, KGP authorities are planning to set up a sophisticated digitalised ‘Hall of Fame’ to document the evolution of the IIT system and record contributions of everyone associated with it.To make the people and IITians aware of the fraudster, the institute’s registrar Mr T K Ghosal put up the fact in the notice board urging “all concerned not to be influenced by any projected details or any presentation on the association of this individual with IIT Kharagpur”. When asked Mr Ghosal said, “The man first approached us claiming to be an alumnus. As we always give special treatment to our alumni, we announced his name in the function where he proposed to donate a huge sum of money towards some Institute initiatives. Later, we were alerted about his credentials from our sources and then we filed a complaint against him with the local police authorities”.
Ms Bharati Ghosh, SP, West Midnapore said, “We have received a complaint from IIT authorities and have started a probe into the matter. We are trying to establish his real identity and locate his whereabouts. But, it is also surprising how the IIT authorities even felicitated a man without checking his credentials and identity.”
As soon as news spread in the IIT faculties, numerous mails were circulated among the IITians who later found that the man pulled off a similar scam some years ago. According to reports, the accused man, who allegedly posed as Microsoft Vice President and cheated several students by promising them admissions in IITs, was arrested in New Delhi in 2010.
He was apprehended from Najafgarh following investigations into a complaint filed by a victim Rajiv Ranjan Kumar from Bihar that he was cheated of Rs Rs. 3.11 lakh by the accused who promised admission to his son in IIT-Kharagpur.
During interrogation, it was revealed, Vijay Kumar used to target IIT aspirants and influence them by showing fake degrees and projecting him as an engineer and an IIT-Kg topper.
MIDNAPORE, 23 AUG: In a queer case, IIT Kharagpur felicitated a person, who claimed to be an alumnus and Director, Corporate Finance at Deutsche Bank, but soon came to know from various sources that he was a conman. He was felicitated during the IIT’s 63rd foundation day celebrations on 18 August.
The man - Vijay Kumar, who also claimed to be an ex-Vice President of Microsoft, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur (2003 batch) from E&ECE Department and IIM, Ahmedabad (2005 batch) even proposed to donate Rs 1.56 crore towards some Institute initiatives which were announced by the Institute at the foundation day function.
Later, the IIT authorities received information from various sources alleging that the credentials of this person appear to be questionable and false. Accordingly, IIT Kharagpur filed an FIR with local police authorities urging them to investigate the identity and credentials of this person.
The incident comes at a time when the IIT, KGP authorities are planning to set up a sophisticated digitalised ‘Hall of Fame’ to document the evolution of the IIT system and record contributions of everyone associated with it.To make the people and IITians aware of the fraudster, the institute’s registrar Mr T K Ghosal put up the fact in the notice board urging “all concerned not to be influenced by any projected details or any presentation on the association of this individual with IIT Kharagpur”. When asked Mr Ghosal said, “The man first approached us claiming to be an alumnus. As we always give special treatment to our alumni, we announced his name in the function where he proposed to donate a huge sum of money towards some Institute initiatives. Later, we were alerted about his credentials from our sources and then we filed a complaint against him with the local police authorities”.
Ms Bharati Ghosh, SP, West Midnapore said, “We have received a complaint from IIT authorities and have started a probe into the matter. We are trying to establish his real identity and locate his whereabouts. But, it is also surprising how the IIT authorities even felicitated a man without checking his credentials and identity.”
As soon as news spread in the IIT faculties, numerous mails were circulated among the IITians who later found that the man pulled off a similar scam some years ago. According to reports, the accused man, who allegedly posed as Microsoft Vice President and cheated several students by promising them admissions in IITs, was arrested in New Delhi in 2010.
He was apprehended from Najafgarh following investigations into a complaint filed by a victim Rajiv Ranjan Kumar from Bihar that he was cheated of Rs Rs. 3.11 lakh by the accused who promised admission to his son in IIT-Kharagpur.
During interrogation, it was revealed, Vijay Kumar used to target IIT aspirants and influence them by showing fake degrees and projecting him as an engineer and an IIT-Kg topper.
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