Director of Training Institute booked for duping students in Kandivli

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The Charkop police have booked the director of a private software training institute for allegedly cheating around 14 students enrolled at his centre after promising assured placements at a Pune infotech company. The accused identified as Ashish Shivalkar is the director of Shivalkars Infotech Pvt Ltd and has been booked under section 420 (cheating) of the IPC based on a complaint of a student's mother.

Shivalkar had engaged the students to pursue a Certified IT Professional graduation course at his centre. Uma Alvi, the complainant, stated that her son enrolled in the institute in 2014 after completing his diploma in Computer Engineering. "We received a leaflet with a newspaper and I was impressed with the advertisement which stated Shivalkar was a holder of a masters degree in IT. Thus we visited the institute at Mahavir Nagar in Kandivli west and inquired about the courses," said Uma, a retired inspector at the Income Tax department.

"The course costed Rs 2 lakh but I paid only half the amount by cheque. The classrooms were very clean with air-conditioned rooms, CCTV cameras, computers for students, etc. The students also received study materials in a kit with a tag of 'Shivalkar's Academy' written on it," Uma added. She then informed that a few months later after the enrollment, Shivalkar lured her son Yogendra L Alvi (27), to pursue another course - Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA). An amount of Rs 55,000 was paid for it through a demand draft. The accused assured the mother that the institute was affiliated by the Mumbai University.

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However, after receiving the money, Shivalkar started skipping classes. "He would often make excuses of his parents being unwell or were facing marital issues. We always empathised with him but he befooled us," Uma Alvi stated adding that he had also cheated other 12 to 14 students like her son. Shivalkar then shut the institute down after February 2017. Uma approached him for the refund but he always made excuses and stalled her. Fed up of his excuses, Uma then filed a case against him

Hemant M Sawant, the senior inspector at Charkop police station said, "Shivalkar stated that several teachers who signed the contract with him to teach at his institute had all backed out. He also claimed that he was busy taking care of his ailing parents." The further investigation is underway, meanwhile, the police have asked him to submit the proof of his education.

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