Pune’s MIT World Peace University Duped of Rs 2.46 Crore in Fake Govt Research Grant Scam; Cyber Police Probe Underway
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Kothrud, 11th September 2025: MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) Pune has reported being cheated of ₹2.46 crore by a fraudster who posed as a government-linked academic offering research funding in drones and artificial intelligence (AI). The Pune Cyber Police have registered an FIR and launched a probe into the case.
According to investigators, the fraud occurred between July 25 and August 7, when the university’s Chief Academic Officer (CAO) Dr Prasad Khandekar was contacted through a WhatsApp message. The message, allegedly sent in the name of Dr. Raghunath Shevgaonkar, who is a former vice-chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University, introduced him to a person claiming to be Dr. Chethan Kamath, professor at IIT Bombay.
The so-called “professor” informed the CAO about a Department of Science and Technology and DRDO project worth ₹28 crore, saying the university needed to deposit 2% of the amount (₹56 lakh) within three hours to secure eligibility. Believing the communication to be authentic, the CAO consulted senior management and the finance team before transferring the sum on July 25.
“He sounded convincing”
Over the next two weeks, the caller allegedly lured the university into transferring additional sums—₹46 lakh on July 30 for an “AI research grant” and ₹1.44 crore on August 7 for a “machine learning project.”
A university official told Punekar News, “Clear SOPs and due diligence processes are maintained for all collaborations. This was a unique case of impersonation in which the documents and communication were made to look authentic. Once the fraud was detected by internal mechanism, the transfers were stopped, and a cybercrime complaint was filed immediately.”
The conman promised to visit Pune on August 28 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). However, when he failed to appear, the CEO directly contacted IIT Bombay and discovered that no such professor or project existed. The university immediately filed a complaint, and after verification, Pune Cyber Police Station registered an FIR on September 6.
The unidentified fraudster has been booked for offences under sections 318 (4) (cheating), 319 (2) (cheating by impersonation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS) and section 66 D (punishment for cheating by impersonation) of the Information Technology Act.
Cyber Police on the case
A Pune Cyber Police officer explained how the scam unfolded:
“After the first transfer, the impersonator pitched an artificial intelligence project worth ₹23 crore and asked for ₹46 lakh. Later, he convinced the CAO to pay ₹1.44 crore for a machine learning project supposedly sanctioned at ₹72 crore. The money was routed to a public sector bank account in Hyderabad. We are gathering details of the transactions.”
Investigators suspect the fraud was part of a well-organised racket targeting educational institutions with promises of government-backed funding. Efforts are underway to trace the money trail and identify the culprits.
