Serial faker Prashant Patel Umrao spreads fake news about Rajdeep Sardesai's son - Alt News
Sam Jawed
11th February 2018 / 9:54 pm / Last updated: 24th April 2018
After senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai filed a police complaint against lawyer Prashant P Umrao accusing him of spreading fake news on social media, Umrao in his characteristic style launched a series of personal attacks on Sardesai. He asked, “Do I expose Son of Rajdeep after his father?” What followed was an “is it true” question raising doubts about the admission of Sardesai’s son in the medical college at Manipal University: “Dear @sardesairajdeep Is it true that your Son Ishan got admission at MBBS in Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University in 2013 on NRI quota w/o having merit after paying ₹ 1Cr by violating rules?” The tweet has since been retweeted close to 9000 times.
Dear @sardesairajdeep Is it true that your Son Ishan got admission at MBBS in Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University in 2013 on NRI quota w/o having merit after paying ₹ 1Cr by violating rules?
— Prashant P. Umrao (@ippatel) February 7, 2018
In a series of tweets, Umrao went on to accuse Sardesai of threatening and arm twisting Medical colleges for admission of his “average” son. Umrao accused him of being “Supari journalist” running a medical seat scam campaign on TV with an ulterior objective of securing his son’s medical admission.
Rajdeep threatened almost all Medical colleges in Goa & Mangalore for admission of his average Son in 2013 But Colleges denied so he ran campaign on CNN IBN about selling management seats, which after few days stopped due to settlement via back door. https://t.co/lZOETJCLmh
— Prashant P. Umrao (@ippatel) February 7, 2018
From 4 April 2013 Rajdeep ran Medical seat scam campaign on CNN IBN & on 24 May 2013 his son Ishan got MBBS seat. Real face of Supari Journalist @sardesairajdeep! pic.twitter.com/Q0mpaeYCK4
— Prashant P. Umrao (@ippatel) February 7, 2018
Sardesai retaliated by tweeting the admission form of his son and threatening Umrao and Twitter India of a 100 crore defamation suit.
For the Bhakt army of liars: here is my son, a merit rank school topper, medical college admission form. Also marking @TVMohandasPai of Manipal board. Next step 100 crore defamation suit against @ippatel and @TwitterIndia Sad it has reached this but enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/RRbcrfBGVx
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 10, 2018
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The vile campaign against Sardesai was ably supported by fake news website Postcard News. “Rajdeep Sardesai’s son will lose his medical seat for getting admission by saying that his parents were NRIs?” asked the headline of the article that was based entirely on Umrao’s unsubstantiated allegations.
Umrao also got support from former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra who tweeted his video message after his account was restricted by Twitter.
Prashant can’t tweet as his account is restricted so here is a direct video message from him
Very simple and clear message from @ippatel to @sardesairajdeep
🙏👍🌶 pic.twitter.com/Q4Uvo3h3lR
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) February 10, 2018
Rajdeep Sardesai and his wife Sagarika Ghose have been subjected to incessant trolling by right-wing twitter accounts.
Is there any truth behind these allegations or are they malicious in nature? Alt News has compiled the documents and arguments shared on social media.
He sure did! I’ll post up Ishan’s NEET results as soon as I find them. Manipal did not use NEET five years ago, they had their own online entrance test for admissions. Ishan has now completed his MBBS and about to start his internship. Am sure your good wishes are with him! https://t.co/vyBeFCwgR7
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) February 10, 2018
Folks, the obliging Mr Dubey of the ABVP has dug out Ishan’s NEET score card and here it is below! https://t.co/bjsIuV8rjD
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) February 10, 2018
In an article in 2013, as a medical aspirant, Ishan Sardesai wrote about his experience where students were under the impression that the common NEET-UG was the one and only exam that they will have to give but a number of medical colleges came up with announcements of their own entrance exams. Ishan wrote the NEET as well as the entrance exams of Manipal University and got a good score in both.
This person is making false claims, without data, and attacking @sardesairajdeep family. Unacceptable. R has produced documents to say his son got a seat on merit, if you still do not believe, it is fine, show utmost hatred, https://t.co/yYcEaGAJaG
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) February 10, 2018
All lies, seats are through tests and on merit https://t.co/nV6Bbniu9C
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) February 10, 2018
Other twitter users familiar with the Manipal admission process have also come out in support of Sardesai.
He has secured rank 1050 in the entrance exam and gotten a legitimate seat. Even though seats are less, ranks upto 2800 get admission coz lot of students dropout of counseling due to admission elsewhere or high fee structure. If it was NRI seat, it would be mentioned on the order
— Abhishek Ravindra (@Abhigonibeed) February 10, 2018
It is unfortunate to see the twitter platform being repeatedly used by people like Umrao to spread fake news and attack individuals they disagree with. The pattern is all too familiar now – spread a baseless rumor, mobilise a hate mob, troll the target and faced with no consequences, repeat the sequence. This case is particularly malicious as it levels baseless allegations on a young medical graduate because of ideological differences with his parents. This shameful vendetta politics that does not even spare the children must be condemned by all across the political spectrum. It is high time that Twitter brings sanity back to the platform and takes action to control the rampant spread of hate and fake news by a handful of well-known repeat offenders.
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