Real life Hindi Medium: Man fakes poverty for son’s admission in school, arrested

In 2017, a film starring noted actor Irrfan Khan and Pakistani actress Saba Qamar hit theatres. The movie, Hindi Medium, was about a rich couple faking poverty to get their child admitted to a high-profile school in New Delhi. It now seems that the story of the film was not far from reality.

A person named Gaurav Goel was arrested by Delhi Police on Saturday for allegedly faking poverty to get his son admitted to a prominent school in the national capital. The man had allegedly faked poverty and got his son admitted to the school under economically weaker section (EWS) category way back in 2013.

He was arrested by Delhi Police after a complaint was filed against him by the school concerned.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Madhur Verma, the accused had made false EWS certificate, residence proof and Income Tax return documents to get through the admission process. He had reportedly forged several other documents as well for the purpose.

In 2015, the crime branch of Delhi Police had busted a racket wherein EWS documents/certificates were forged for admissions in premier educational institutions in the national capital. A prime accused named Neeraj Kumar was arrested for running the racket.

According to reports, the accused charged as much as Rs three lakh to ensure admission of candidates under economically weaker section category.

In the film Hindi Medium, Irrfan and Saba play a couple from Chandni Chowk area of Delhi. They own a shop and are rich, but are not educated and so fail to get their child admitted to any top school of the city. Compelled by the situation, they leave their residence and start living in a slum, faking poverty to get their daughter admitted to a school. They even succeed in the same but later confess the truth themselves.