A social media fundraiser seeking money for the alleged eye treatment of a 12-year-old girl has turned into a major controversy on X after the hospital named in the appeal warned that medical documents circulated in its name were allegedly fake. The user behind the fundraiser, identified as Jay Singh Rathore, reportedly collected more than Rs 1.5 lakh before removing the payment details and later facing hours of questions from users on X Spaces.
Rathore's Emotional Appeal
The controversy began on September 21 when Rathore shared a now-deleted post claiming that his 12-year-old sister was suffering from glaucoma and vitreous haemorrhage and was at risk of losing her eyesight. He reportedly described himself as a 16-year-old seeking help and said his family had already spent over Rs 2.5 lakh on her treatment.
Rathore claimed the family had arranged around Rs 50,000 through savings and relatives but needed more money for the next surgery. He appealed to users to contribute even Rs 10 or Rs 20. The post included photographs of documents purportedly showing medical reports, a prescription, an estimate and an Aadhaar card, and named Delhi's Shroff Eye Centre as the hospital treating the girl.
Within about 24 hours, Rathore claimed that more than Rs 1.5 lakh had been collected. He then asked people to stop sending money and removed the payment details, saying the family had received more than required.
How Did The Scam Come To Light?
The narrative changed after a man actually contacted Shroff Eye Centre to verify facts. A purported audio clip that surfaced online sheds light on the scam, where the enquirer gets to know that all the details provided in the fundraiser appeal linked to the hospital are fake.
Shroff Eye Centre then issued a public warning regarding the issue. The hospital said someone had allegedly created a fake patient record, prescription and estimate using its letterheads and was approaching NGOs and individuals for financial assistance. It urged people to remain cautious.
The warning prompted users to question the authenticity of the documents and the fundraiser. Several social media users later described the episode as a scam, although the original post has been deleted and many claims circulating online have not been independently verified.
What Happened During The X Spaces?
Rathore later joined X Spaces, where users questioned him about the fundraiser, medical documents and money received. During the discussions, he reportedly said that although he had used his sister's name, the money was actually needed because his father was unwell. He reportedly called his actions a mistake and said he had started returning money to donors.
Screenshots claiming to show refunds were later shared online. One purported bank screenshot showed a balance dropping from Rs 1,58,282.58 to Rs 1,37,893.58, though it has not been independently verified.
Rathore also reportedly said during one discussion that he had done it for fun and called it his first scam. The hours-long discussions, including references to a Rs 10 cup of tea, led users to dub the episode a 'Chai Pe Charcha' on X.
