Fraudster Cons 72 Doctors with Dream Trip Offer

In a shocking incident, 72 doctors from across India were defrauded of ₹2 crore by a man posing as a travel organiser. The fraudulent scheme was executed during a medical conference in Mumbai, leaving the medical professionals stunned and financially affected.

The Deceptive Offer

The alleged fraudster, identified as Sharad Hegde, introduced himself as the founder of “IRIS Global Media” during a Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) conference held in November 2024 at a five-star hotel in Powai. Claiming to be both an event manager and international travel organiser, Hegde pitched holiday packages to doctors attending the conference.

To gain their trust, he showed pictures of earlier trips he had supposedly organised. His convincing pitch led the doctors to suggest Baku, Azerbaijan, as their preferred travel destination.

Planning the Dream Trip

Shortly after the conference, a WhatsApp group was created to discuss and coordinate the proposed vacation. A total of 88 doctors joined the group. On November 21, Hegde presented an itinerary, estimating the cost per person at ₹1.5 lakh. The amount was said to cover visa fees, flights, accommodation, and meals for the trip scheduled between May 18 and 24, 2025.

Encouraged by the offer, 72 doctors agreed to join the trip and transferred a total of ₹2.14 crore to the bank account of Hegde’s company. They were even given receipts, and everything appeared to be going as planned.

Beginning of the Fraud

But on April 7, 2025, things started to take a turn. Hegde informed the doctors through the WhatsApp group that some of the payments had been made late and he would be returning that money. This statement was likely a tactic to gain their trust and avoid suspicion.

He returned ₹13.10 lakh to a few doctors, possibly to make the plan look genuine. But when the remaining participants kept following up, Hegde began delaying further payments and offering excuses. Eventually, the doctors realised they had been deceived.

Legal Action Initiated

A police complaint was lodged by Dr Rohan Palshetkar, 36, a gynecologist from Prabhadevi who practices at DY Patil Hospital in Navi Mumbai. Based on his complaint, the Dadar police registered a case against Hegde under Sections 316 (2) for criminal breach of trust and 318 (3) for cheating under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Conclusion

This incident highlights how even experienced professionals can fall prey to well-orchestrated scams. It serves as a reminder for all individuals, including those in the healthcare sector, to exercise caution while engaging with unknown service providers, especially involving large financial transactions. The police continue to investigate the case in hopes of recovering the lost money and bringing the accused to justice.

Source: Inputs from various media Sources