Pune: Coaching Centre Director, Staff Booked for Duping 32 Parents of ₹42 Lakh After JEE Classes Shut Down
Pune: Coaching Centre Director, Staff Booked for Duping 32 Parents of ₹42 Lakh After JEE Classes Shut Down ( representative Image )
Police have launched an investigation following a complaint by a 48-year-old retired naval officer, who alleged that the director of a coaching centre and three of his staff members defrauded him and 31 other parents of a total of ₹42.33 lakh. The complaint pertains to non-refund of fees collected between June 21 and July 2, 2024, after the abrupt closure of JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) classes conducted at Vega Centre in Swargate.
According to a report in TOI, the complainant, a Dharashiv native currently residing on NIBM Road in Kondhwa, initially approached the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Pune Police. After preliminary verification, a First Information Report (FIR) for cheating was registered at Swargate police station on Thursday night.
According to senior police inspector Yuvraj Nandre, several parents had enrolled their children for JEE coaching and paid varying amounts in fees. On July 2, 2024, the centre held an online meeting where it announced the closure of its operations. The parents were given three options: shift to online classes based in Delhi, attend physical classes there, or email the centre to request a refund.
“Initial findings show that while some parents received refunds, others have not been reimbursed yet,” Nandre said.
The retired officer stated in his complaint that despite repeated attempts to contact the coaching centre via email, neither he nor the other affected parents received any response or refund. After the communication was cut off, the group escalated the matter to the EOW, seeking strict action.
As of now, the suspects named in the FIR are untraceable. Police teams are working on available leads to locate them.
