Who is Jay Singh Rathore? What we know about the ₹1.5 lakh X donation controversy

Jay Singh Rathore has become the focus of a controversy on X after a fundraising appeal for his sister’s eye surgery collected more than ₹1.5 lakh, with questions later raised over the medical documents shared as part of the appeal.

The row escalated after Shroff Eye Centre warned that fake medical documents carrying its letterhead were being used to seek financial help.

Who is Jay Singh Rathore?

Rathore is an X user who posted an appeal asking people to contribute towards what he initially described as his sister’s eye treatment. The post was widely shared, and he later claimed that more than ₹1.5 lakh had been collected.

The fundraiser came under scrutiny when users began questioning inconsistencies in the prescriptions and other medical documents posted with the appeal. A now-deleted thread had also identified Shroff Eye Centre as the hospital where his sister was allegedly receiving treatment.

What did Shroff Eye Centre say?

Shroff Eye Centre later issued a warning through its Instagram Story, sharing images of the documents and the X post associated with the fundraiser.

The hospital said it had learned that someone had created a fake patient, prescription and estimate sheet using its letterheads and was approaching NGOs and individuals on WhatsApp for financial assistance. It urged people to be cautious and share the warning to prevent others from being deceived.

The statement intensified scrutiny of Rathore's fundraiser.

A video circulating online also shows Rathore being questioned about the medical document and how he obtained it. At one point, when a participant asked how he had got the document, he was heard responding, “Leave that to the police.”

Some participants in the chat were also heard speculating about his demeanour, with users suggesting that he appeared confident that he could get away with the alleged wrongdoing. In the same video, Rathore is heard ordering tea while the discussion was taking place.

The video could not be independently verified by Mathrubhumi, and the comments made by participants reflect their own views and allegations, not an established finding.

What did Jay Singh Rathore say?

Rathore subsequently joined several X Spaces to respond to the allegations.

During one of the discussions, he became emotional and acknowledged that he had made a mistake. He claimed that his father, rather than his sister, was the family member who was ill, and said he had used his sister's name because he believed it would help the appeal reach more people.

He maintained that his family was facing financial difficulties and that the money was raised to help his father. Users participating in the Spaces, however, continued to question his explanation.

Refunds became a major demand during the subsequent X Spaces.

Users shared donors' UPI details with Rathore and asked him to return the money. He responded by posting screenshots of payments and claimed that some contributors had already been reimbursed.

A bank-account screenshot later circulated online, purportedly showing the balance falling from ₹1,58,282.58 to ₹1,37,893.58. The screenshot was cited online in discussions about the alleged refunds, but the material does not independently establish the complete movement of the funds.

During an X Spaces session at around 3:30 am on September 23, Rathore said he would return in the morning to further explain the situation and address the money received from donors.