Man who posed as V-C arrested

Chennai: The Bengaluru police recently arrested a man who posed as the vice-chancellor of a fictitious university and cheated nearly 70 colleges and individuals including a Chennai resident T C Arivalagaan.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) S D Sharanappa told TOI over telephone that Santosh Lohar, a native of Nadia district in West Bengal, was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by Arivalagan, chairman of a city-based private educational trust.The police seized 8.96 lakh, credit cards, cheque books, and several documents belonging to various universities from Lohar, officers said.
The accused had created a firm in the name of Bio Chemical Education Grant Commission (BCEGC) and opened a website to update gazette notifications. He met Arivalagan and told him that he can start Bio-Chemical, Bio-Medical and paramedical colleges in Attappadi in Kerala and Vandalur near here. Lohar then gave Arivalagan 'permit certificates' issued by the BCEGC and asked Arivalagan to go ahead with the construction of the colleges. Lohar also came to Chennai, inspected the spot along with his associates, who posed as officers from BCEGC. Arivalagan said he had paid 78.40 lakh to Lohar and went ahead with the work.
Arivalagan, scanning through news reports, came across a report stating that BCEGC was a fake university, and not recognised by any Central organisations. He asked Lohar about it but was told that the report was not true. Lohar convinced Arivalagan to go ahead with the construction," police said.
When Arivalagan failed to get convincing answers and documents, he lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru police, sources said.
An investigation was on to find out whether the accused had cheated more people this way.