An X user identified as Jay Singh Rathore faces allegations of misleading donors after raising around ₹1.5 lakh through an appeal for his sister’s eye surgery.
Shroff Eye Centre warned that fake patient, prescription and estimate documents bearing its letterheads were being circulated online, though the hospital did not name Rathore.
Rathore later said he had used his sister’s name to raise money for his father’s treatment and promised to refund donors, while the allegations and use of the funds remain unverified.
What began as an appeal for financial help for a woman’s eye surgery turned into an online controversy after an X user, “Jay Singh Rathore”, was accused of misleading donors and collecting around ₹1.5 lakh. The user initially claimed the money was needed for his sister’s treatment but later said during multiple X Spaces that his father was actually unwell and that he had used his sister’s name to reach more people.
Rathore reportedly broke down while responding to questions on X Spaces and admitted that he had made a mistake. However, his explanation was met with scepticism from several users, while he continued to maintain that his family was facing financial difficulties and that the money had been raised to help his father.
Shroff Eye Centre Flags Allegedly Fake Documents
The controversy began after Rathore shared an appeal on X seeking donations for his sister’s eye surgery. He later claimed that more than ₹1.5 lakh had been raised.
While the initial post drew support online, users subsequently questioned discrepancies in the medical documents and prescriptions he shared. In a now-deleted thread, Rathore had claimed that his sister was being treated at Shroff Eye Centre.
The eye hospital subsequently issued a public warning after it came across the documents being circulated online.
“Alert. It has come to our knowledge that some person/s has created a fake patient, prescription and estimate sheet on our letterheads and is asking NGOs and individuals on WhatsApp for help,” the hospital said in an Instagram Story, urging people to share the warning to prevent others from falling victim to the alleged deception.
The hospital's statement did not name Rathore.
As questions around the fundraiser intensified, Rathore appeared in several X Spaces to respond to users questioning his claims. During one such session, he said the money was actually intended for his father's treatment and that he had used his sister's name to maximise the appeal's reach.
Donors Demand Refunds As Rathore Promises Repayment
Several users who participated in the X Spaces demanded that Rathore return the money collected from donors. Participants shared details of payments made to him and sought refunds.
Rathore subsequently posted screenshots of transactions and claimed that he had already returned money to some contributors.
One user later shared a screenshot purportedly showing Rathore's bank balance falling from ₹1,58,282.58 to ₹1,37,893.58. The screenshot could not independently establish how much money had been collected through the fundraiser or whether the transfers represented refunds to donors.
Another X user, identified as “@Raniisaa_”, who had amplified Rathore's original appeal, was also accused online of being involved in the alleged scam. She subsequently denied having any connection with him.
In his last known X Spaces appearance at around 3:30 am on September 23, Rathore said he would host another session in the morning to clarify his earlier posts and return money received from donors.
The controversy has since shifted from an appeal for medical assistance to questions over the authenticity of the documents, the intended beneficiary of the fundraiser and the whereabouts of the donated funds. The claims made by Rathore and users on X have not independently established whether a criminal offence took place.
