Piyush Jain, the CEO of medical crowdfunding platform Impact Guru, reacted hours after a case of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy was filed against him and two others for falsely collecting donations worth Rs 4.5 crore for the treatment of a four-month-old child suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA-1).
The case was registered based on a complaint lodged at the Matunga Police Station by social worker Arif Shaikh, who runs the Navtarang Charitable Trust.
advertisement
However, in an official statement released on Wednesday evening, Jain called the complaint frivolous and that it posed a threat to the child’s life by undermining fundraising efforts.
“This frivolous complaint, aimed at tarnishing our reputation, poses a direct threat to the child’s life by undermining fundraising efforts. It is tragic that an attempt to save a life is met with such hostility and baseless allegations. By spreading misinformation and sensationalising this issue, the complainant and those amplifying these falsehoods are doing a grave disservice to both the child in need and the integrity of genuine charitable efforts,” the statement said.
Warning of stringent legal action against the complainant, Jain said that this kind of reckless behavior endangers lives and undermines the trust placed in vital life-saving initiatives.
In his complaint, Shaikh alleged that two people, Nikhat Khan and Naufil Kazi, posing as a couple, approached him in January, saying they needed financial help for the treatment of their daughter, Inara.
According to the couple, Inara suffered from SMA-1 — a rare neuromuscular disorder that results in the loss of motor neurons and progressive muscle wasting. It is usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood and, if left untreated, it is the most common genetic cause of infant death.
Nikhat Khan and Naufil Kazi asked Shaikh to help raise a sum of Rs 17 crore. But due to the massive amount, the social worker asked the couple to provide hospital documents detailing expenditures required for the treatment.
Despite insisting that Inara was being treated at one of the biggest charitable hospitals in Mumbai, the couple was not able to procure the documents, due to which Sheikh refused to help them.
A few days later, while scrolling through social media, the social worker came across the handle of former actor Sana Khan, in which she appealed to crowdfund Rs 17 crore for Inara Kazi’s treatment.
The actor’s post also gave out details of some bank accounts and UPI IDs.
Out of curiosity, Sheikh contacted the hospital mentioned by the couple and, to his shock, he found that there was no patient under the name of Inara Kazi being treated for SMA-1.
The authorities also informed him that for crowdfunding, details of the hospital accounts are given out on official notes bearing the institute’s letterhead. Funds cannot be accepted in personal accounts, they added.
Sheikh further learnt that between January to June, the couple along with Piyush Jain collected Rs 4.5 crore, which they had transferred to their personal accounts, cheating innocent donors to give money for a patient who did not even exist.
“We strongly urge the media and the public to investigate the facts thoroughly before making or sharing any further misleading statements. The truth will reveal that our efforts have been honest, transparent, and entirely dedicated to saving this child’s life. It is imperative that the truth of the facts are ascertained because it jeopardises the lives of thousands of other patients who are fighting for their lives with the assistance of ours and other crowdfunding platforms,” Jain maintained.
The social worker then approached the Kurla Court, which directed the Matunga Police Station to register a case against Jain, Nikhat Khan and Naufil Kazi.
According to sources, the three will be questioned about their involvement in the scam soon.
Impact Guru further stressed that it is committed to transparency, accountability, and its mission to save lives. “We have complete faith that justice will prevail. We will continue to support this child and stand firm against any attempts to hinder our efforts or tarnish our reputation despite the harassment,” it added.
“We are racing against time to help Baby Inara get access to Zolgensma, and it is our humble request to the generous donors to extend their support for her,” the statement further requested.
