Fake MBBS seat scam busted: Pathanamthitta man posing as 'gospel worker' held

Thrissur West police arrested a man on Sunday for allegedly running a scam by falsely promising MBBS seats under the staff quota at Vellore Medical College. The apprehended, Jacob Thomas of Koodal in Pathanamthitta, was arrested at the Chennai International Airport while attempting to flee to Malaysia.

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

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

Following the issuance of a lookout circular by the District Police Chief, authorities tracked Thomas across several states. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Thrissur had also issued a warrant for his arrest.

Several cases against him are pending at multiple police stations in Kerala, including Thrissur West, Angamaly, Koratty, Pala, Pandalam, and Adoor. A separate case is pending against him in Nagpur. Thomas was presented before the magistrate in Thrissur this morning and has been remanded in custody.

Besides this, the police arrested Pastor Paul Gladson, who posed as a bishop, along with pastors Vijayakumar, Anu Samuel, and Reynard, Thomas’s son, for their involvement in the fraud. The Pala police arrested Anu Samuel in December 2022, while the Adoor police apprehended Reynard in May 2023. The Thrissur West police arrested Paul in June 2024.