IIT-KGP 'alumnus', with 37,000 Quora-followers, conned several students of thousands
A fraud has come to light that has infuriated the IIT community, especially the Kharagpur branch. Claiming to be from IIT-KGP and MIT, Niladri Sarkar duped many of its students feigning family crisis and taking 'loans' from them, which he never returned. He'd ask for varying amounts, eager to get as much as he could. The fraud was exposed when victims informed the dean.
The conman: Fluent language, compulsive liar, impressive online persona
Sarkar is a compulsive liar, who used to write impressive answers loaded with scientific jargon to convince people on social media, especially Quora, that he's from IIT-KGP. His accounts have his 'credentials' prominently displayed. His con works outside the virtual world too: some months ago, he approached an IIT faculty member and expressed willingness to collaborate for his upcoming 'MIT' project.
His lies didn't stop at IIT. They even included MIT
When he was confronted, Sarkar retracted all his claims. However, that didn't stop him from displaying that he has three published research papers and has scored a high rank in Research Quality Index certificate, purportedly issued by IIT-Kanpur and IISc. Neither were any papers found online, nor there exists any such certificates. Further, no MIT or IIT professor identified him as their student.
Sarkar's excuses: Mother's funeral to sister's course application money
Sarkar set up his network by befriending several first- and second-year IITians on social media. He then asked for money from his 'college-mates' saying he needed some to conduct his mother's funeral, or for his sister's admission. He always laid a bait by emphasizing emotional issues and managed to decamp with money several times, sometimes Rs. 16,000, other times as much as Rs. 50,000.
Sarkar claims that he's innocent, has never made such claims
When the students realized that they have been cheated, they wrote to the dean of student affairs, Somesh Kumar. "The image of IIT-KGP is at stake and a lot of money has been fraudulently gathered in the name of trust," it reads. Sarkar, however, maintains he's innocent and has never made such claims.
