Teen Raises Rs 1.5 Lakh For Sister's Eye Surgery, Hospital Flags Documents As Fake

What began as an emotional appeal for help with a 12-year-old girl's eye surgery quickly turned into a major controversy on social media after the hospital named in the fundraiser said the 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 help for his younger sister, claiming she was at risk of losing her eyesight. In his now-deleted posts, Rathore said his sister had been diagnosed with glaucoma and vitreous haemorrhage and needed urgent treatment at Shroff Eye Centre in Delhi.

He claimed 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 asked 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 went viral, with strangers donating small amounts to help the family. Within around 24 hours, Rathore said he had received Rs 158,282. He later posted an update thanking donors and asking them to stop sending money, saying the family had collected more than it needed. He also removed the payment details from his post.

Hospital raises alarm

The situation took an unexpected turn when Shroff Eye Centre issued a public warning on Instagram about medical documents allegedly being circulated using its letterhead.

The hospital said it had learnt that someone had created a fake patient record, prescription and estimate sheet using its letterheads and was approaching individuals and organisations 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 hospital's statement prompted users on X to question Rathore's fundraiser and the documents he had shared as proof of his sister's treatment. Some users claimed they had contacted the hospital and could not verify the patient details mentioned in the appeal. Others began asking Rathore to explain the discrepancies and provide proof that the treatment was genuine.

Rathore faces questions on X

As the allegations spread, Rathore joined X Spaces to respond to questions from users and donors. The discussions continued for several hours, with people questioning him about the medical documents, the identity of the patient and how the money had been collected.

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

The developments led several donors to demand refunds. Screenshots claiming to show repayments and changes in the bank balance were subsequently shared online, although these screenshots have not been independently verified.

Rathore, meanwhile, 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 play out through posts and live discussions on X.

How the story went viral

The fundraiser initially attracted sympathy because of the nature of the appeal. The rapid response from online users was initially celebrated as an example of strangers coming together to help a family in distress. Within hours, the story had become one of the biggest discussions on Indian X. However, users, especially the ones who donated money, were let down as the discrepancies started to surface.