Rs 1.58 Lakh Raised For Girl's Eye Surgery, Then Hospital Flags Documents As Fake

A fundraiser that began with an emotional appeal for a 12-year-old girl's urgent eye surgery has spiralled into a major social media controversy after the hospital named in the appeal claimed that medical documents being circulated in its name were fake.

Jay Singh Rathore, who described himself as a 16-year-old boy, had appealed on X for financial assistance for his younger sister, claiming she was at risk of losing her eyesight. In posts that have since been deleted, Rathore said his sister had been diagnosed with glaucoma and vitreous haemorrhage and required urgent treatment at Shroff Eye Centre in Delhi.

According to his appeal, the family had already spent more than Rs 2.5 lakh on her treatment and needed another Rs 1.2 lakh for the next surgery. He urged people to contribute whatever they could, even Rs 10 or Rs 20.

"Between our savings and help from relatives, we have managed to arrange ₹50,000. We are still short by around ₹73,000," he said.

The appeal quickly gained traction, prompting strangers online to send money to the family. Within around 24 hours, Rathore claimed he had received Rs 158,282.

He later thanked donors and asked them to stop contributing, saying the family had raised more money than required. The payment details were subsequently removed from his post.

Hospital issues warning over alleged fake documents

The fundraiser took a dramatic turn when Shroff Eye Centre issued a public warning on Instagram, saying it had learned that medical documents were allegedly being fabricated using the hospital's letterhead.

The hospital claimed that someone had created a fake patient record, prescription and estimate sheet and was using them to approach NGOs and individuals for financial assistance.

"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. Please be aware and SHARE to prevent people from becoming victims of this deception," the hospital wrote.

The warning immediately triggered questions about Rathore's fundraiser and the documents he had shared as evidence of his sister's treatment.

Several users claimed they had contacted the hospital but were unable to verify the patient details mentioned in the appeal. Others demanded that Rathore explain the alleged discrepancies and provide evidence that the treatment was genuine.

Rathore questioned during X Spaces

As the controversy intensified, Rathore joined X Spaces to answer questions from users and donors. The discussions reportedly continued for hours, with participants questioning him about the medical records, the identity of the alleged patient and the money collected through the fundraiser.

According to reports, Rathore later offered conflicting explanations about the appeal. At one point, he reportedly said that while he had used his sister's name in the fundraiser, the money was actually required because his father was unwell. Reports also said he described some of his actions as a mistake.

The developments prompted several donors to seek refunds. Screenshots purporting to show repayments and changes in the bank balance were later circulated online, although their authenticity has not been independently verified.

Rathore maintained that his family was facing financial difficulties and disputed accusations that he had simply taken the money for personal use. The controversy continued to unfold through posts and live discussions on X.

The fundraiser initially drew widespread sympathy because of the urgent nature of the appeal. The speed with which strangers contributed was even seen as an example of online users coming together to support a family in distress.