Fake MBBS seat scam busted: Pathanamthitta man posing as ‘Bible worker’ arrested | News from Kerala

Thrissur West police on Sunday arrested a man for allegedly committing fraud by falsely promising MBBS seats under staff quota in Vellore Medical College. The nabbed person, Jacob Thomas from Koodal in Pathanamthitta, was arrested at the Chennai International Airport while he was trying to escape to Malaysia.

Reports indicate that Thomas posed as a gospel worker and convinced families in Kerala and other states that he had close connections with the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore and an Anglican bishop.

To evade arrest, Thomas lived in seven states, including Bihar, Haryana and Tamil Nadu. He allegedly defrauded many people in Kerala during his stay in Thakkalai, Kanyakumari. Victims reported losing amounts ranging from Rs 60 lakh to Rs 80 lakh.

Authorities tracked Thomas across multiple states after the District Police Chief issued a surveillance circular. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Thrissur had also issued a warrant for his arrest.

Cases against him are pending in many police stations in Kerala, including Thrissur West, Angamaly, Koratty, Pala, Pandalam and Adoor. A separate case is pending against him in Nagpur. Thomas was produced before a magistrate in Thrissur this morning and was taken into custody.

Besides this, the police arrested Pastor Paul Gladson, who was posing as a bishop, and pastors Vijayakumar, Anu Samuel and Thomas’ son Reynard for their involvement in the fraud. While Pala police arrested Anu Samuel in December 2022, Adoor police arrested Reynard in May 2023. Thrissur West police arrested Paul in June 2024.