Bhubaneswar: A 32-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly duping a medical aspirant of Rs 30 lakh promising him admission in a city-based private medical college.

Police suspect that the case may only be the tip of the iceberg and the accused, Sunil Samantray, might have duped a lot of other students in the same fashion as part of a wider admission racket.

Samantray, a resident of Infocity, had allegedly taken Rs 30 lakh from the aspirant, a native of Nabarangpur, in several instalments since 2016.

"Samantray had promised him a seat in the private medical college in 2017-18 academic session, but he could not do so. When the victim demanded a refund, Samnatray promised him a medical seat this academic session. However, the victim's father lodged a complaint with Infocity police on Thursday when the victim did not get a seat in the medical college after the first phase of admission for medical courses in the state," said an officer investigating the case.

Acting on the complaint, the police immediately arrested Samantray.

"Further investigation revealed Samantray had collected money from several engineering aspirants as well. We urge others the candidates duped by him to come forward and lodge complaints with us. We will also go through his bank account details," said deputy commissioner of police Anup Kumar Sahoo.

The police are trying to find out whether any employee of the various private medical and engineering colleges were in touch with Samantray.

"Admission in to medical courses in private medical colleges have become a profitable business for brokers with parents willing to cough up as much as Rs 50 lakh for a medical seat. Most often brokers claim to have good access to influential officials in the private medical colleges," said another police officer.

Panic after baby death

A two-month-old infant died a couple of hours after being vaccinated at Puskala village in Keonjhar on Wednesday. Residents detained an Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery on Thursday following the the incident. The villagers also blocked roads and demanded compensation. The Jamubadi Kendra supervisor rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the mob.