Pabitra Banerjee : A viral fundraising campaign on X (formerly Twitter) erupted into a massive online controversy after user Jay Singh Rathore was accused of orchestrating a scam by collecting approximately ₹1.5 lakh under the pretense of funding his minor sister’s eye surgery.
The user initially posted an emotional thread posing as a teenager seeking financial help, claiming his 12-year-old sister was facing the risk of losing her eyesight. The post included medical estimates and documents supposedly from a prominent eye care center, prompting an overwhelming response from online donors who contributed amounts ranging from small sums to their savings. Within 24 hours, Rathore announced that over ₹1.5 lakh had been raised and deactivated the payment links.
Discrepancies Emerge as Hospital Warns of Forged Documents
Suspicion mounted rapidly when sharp-eyed users flagged discrepancies in the shared medical records. The situation escalated significantly when the hospital named in the appeal issued an official public warning, clarifying that forged patient records, prescriptions, and estimate sheets bearing its letterheads were being fraudulently circulated to solicit donations.
Backlash on X Spaces: Contradictory Admissions and Refund Claims
Cornered by donors and digital investigators, Rathore hosted multiple chaotic audio sessions on X Spaces to address the mounting backlash. Under intense questioning, he broke down and offered conflicting explanations, admitting at one point that he had used his sister’s name to maximize reach because his father was actually unwell, while casually remarking during another exchange that he did it “for fun”.
As furious participants aggressively demanded accountability and refunds during the live sessions, Rathore later posted transaction screenshots claiming he had begun returning money to contributors. The incident has triggered widespread outrage across social media, reigniting critical debates regarding the lack of verification mechanisms for digital medical crowdfunding campaigns.
