Mumbai, Jun 21 (PTI) Mumbai Police have arrested a 51-year-old man who had allegedly evaded law enforcement agencies in five states for the past 12 years in connection with a medical college admission scam, an official said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Abid Yusuf Ansari, a resident of Nagpada in Mumbai, was wanted by nearly 20 police stations across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Ansari was apprehended after a six-month-long operation that combined technical surveillance and intelligence gathered through informant networks.
The case came to light after Vishnu Ratna Gudeka approached Sir J.J. Marg Police Station and alleged that Ansari had cheated him of Rs 42 lakh by falsely promising to secure an MBBS seat for his son at a medical college in Kalwa, Thane.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 420 (cheating), 467 and 468 (forgery), and 120B (criminal conspiracy). Investigators said Ansari frequently changed locations to avoid arrest.
The police tracking team followed leads across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar during the investigation, the official said.
According to officials, Ansari narrowly escaped a raid conducted by Uttarakhand Police in Mahabaleshwar before fleeing to Mumbai, where he hid in a residential building in the Agripada area.
Acting on a specific tip-off, Mumbai Police laid a trap and closely monitored his movements within the building premises. Officers deployed in the area disguised themselves and maintained surveillance for several hours before taking Ansari into custody at an opportune moment.
During interrogation, police found that Ansari is linked to at least 18 to 20 similar cases across various states, including eight in Maharashtra alone.
Officials further said that Ansari had been declared a fugitive by a local court in Jalgaon.
Police suspect the number of victims could be significantly higher, as Ansari allegedly targeted parents desperate to secure medical admissions for their children. Further investigation is underway.
Authorities have informed police departments in neighbouring states where cases against Ansari are pending, officials added. PTI DC NSK
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