A fundraising controversy surrounding X user Jay Singh Rathore took another bizarre turn during a series of heated X Spaces, where users questioned him over the alleged scam and demanded answers about the Rs 1.5 lakh he reportedly collected.
At one point, Rathore was allegedly seen having tea near Kanpur railway station and was asked how he could afford it after claiming that his bank account had been frozen. His response, “Cash rakhta huun... gareeb thodi huun” (I keep cash, I am not poor), further angered users participating in the Space.
The controversy began after Rathore sought donations for the alleged eye treatment of his 12-year-old sister. In a now-deleted post shared on September 21, he claimed that the girl was suffering from glaucoma and vitreous haemorrhage and needed surgery. He said his family had already spent more than Rs 2.5 lakh on treatment and appealed to users to contribute even Rs 10 or Rs 20.
The post included medical documents purportedly showing the girl's treatment at Delhi's Shroff Eye Centre. Rathore later claimed that more than Rs 1.5 lakh had been collected within about 24 hours and removed the payment details, saying the family had received enough money.
The story changed after Shroff Eye Centre issued a public warning saying someone had allegedly fabricated a patient record, prescription and estimate using the hospital's letterheads and was approaching individuals and NGOs for financial assistance. A purported audio recording also surfaced online in which a person contacting the hospital was allegedly told that the details in the fundraiser did not match its records.
The warning triggered widespread questions over Rathore's fundraiser and the authenticity of the documents.
Rathore Faces Questions On X Spaces
As the controversy escalated, Rathore joined several X Spaces to respond to users and donors. During the discussions, he reportedly admitted that using his sister's name was a mistake and claimed that his father was actually unwell. He said he had used his sister's name to maximise the appeal's reach and maintained that his family was facing financial difficulties.
Rathore Breaks Down, Promises To Return Money
Rathore reportedly broke down during questioning and promised to return money to donors. Screenshots claiming to show repayments were later circulated online, although they have not been independently verified.
During another discussion, users questioned Rathore about his reported claim that his bank account had been frozen. When he was asked how he could pay for tea while allegedly facing financial difficulties, he gave the now-viral response about keeping cash.
Rathore also reportedly said during one of the Spaces that he had done it 'for fun' and described it as his first scam. The lengthy exchanges, in which users repeatedly questioned him over the fundraiser and demanded refunds, have since been dubbed a 'Chai Pe Charcha' on X. The original fundraiser has been deleted, while several claims and screenshots circulating online remain unverified.
