Pune: School Accountant In Wagholi Accused of Extortion, Case Registered for Defrauding 53 Parents of 13.50 Lakhs
Wagholi, 3rd December 2023: The Pune city police have registered a case against Vinaykumar Rupchand Bhandarkar, the accountant at Podar International School in Wagholi, for allegedly extorting money from 53 parents under the pretext of securing admissions through the Right to Education Act (RTE) quota. The complaint was filed by Swanand Chandrakant Kulkarni, the assistant manager of the school, at Lonikand police station.
The incident unfolded at the Podar International School located in the Ubale Nagar area of Wagholi. The school offers free education to children from economically weaker sections under the government-mandated ‘RTE’ scheme. It has been reported that, despite applying under the ‘RTE’ scheme, children often struggle to secure admission to schools near their homes. In this context, parents often seek recommendations to facilitate admissions.
The accused, Vinaykumar Rupchand Bhandarkar, allegedly exploited this situation, enticing parents with promises of securing admissions through the ‘RTE’ quota. Bhandarkar reportedly collected a sum of Rs 13 lakh 65 thousand from 53 parents, both in cash and through online transactions, during April. However, when the parents did not see their children granted admission, they raised concerns with Bhandarkar. Subsequently, the parents approached the school administration with their grievances.
In response, the school complained to the Lonikand police, resulting in the registration of a case against Bhandarkar. Police sub-inspector Rahul Kolpe is conducting further investigation.
