**Cuttack**: Aound 25 persons were duped by authorities of Reshma Science College, a local private Science college at Jagatpur in Cuttack by stating that they had a liasoning with the Hi-Tech Medical College in Bhubaneswar and would ensure seats for their wards in exchange of a hefty sum of money.
According to a parent Surendra Singh, “I had received a text message from this college. When I contacted them, they asked Rs 55 lakhs for ensuring a medical seat for my son in the Hi-Tech Medical College of Bhubaneswar. As I had only Rs 4,90,000 at that point of time, they asked me to transfer the amount to their account. After a couple of days, they mailed me saying that the medical seat was confirmed and we had to go to Bhubaneswar for counseling on 27th. But they did not turn up that day, nor did pick up my call. When we charged them in the college premises the next day, they handed over two cheques but both of them bounced.”
“We have come for money now and have also lodged a complaint in the Jagatpur PS. We got lured by this offer as Bhubaneswar is a very good educational hub,” said Mr Sinha from West Bengal who was duped of Rs 6.5 lakhs.
According to reports, the college authorities had given post dated cheques to the parents in a bid to return their money but the cheques got bounced. The college is also locked at present with no authorities available for any comments.
However, Tirupati Panigrahi, chairman of Hi-Tech Medical College, said that the college never directs any other college to ask parents for money for a seat.