Indian-origin data scientist in Canada claimed free food from food bank, fired from job

An Indian-origin data scientist working at TD Bank in Canada was fired from his job after he shared a video explaining how he got “free food” from food banks meant for students. He had claimed in the video that he had saved “hundreds of rupees” every month by exploiting food banks.

This person has been identified as Mehul Prajapati, who was working in TD Bank. He took this action after people criticized him on social media.

In a video shared on social media, Prajapati explained how he got free groceries from food banks on college and university campuses.

Food banks in Canada are run by charities and provide essential food items to people in need. These are commonly used by students from low-income families or facing financial difficulties.

Prajapati claimed in the video that he saved “hundreds of rupees” every month on groceries by using food banks.

In the video, the Indian-origin man also showed a week’s worth of food, which included fruits, vegetables, bread and canned goods, which he obtained from food banks.

Social media reacted, bank took action

The video was originally posted on Instagram. The video caught people’s attention when an X user shared it on the microblogging platform and criticized Prajapati.

The Instagram account that originally shared the video has been removed.

The video quickly went viral and was severely criticized.

Many people online pointed out that Prajapati’s salary, reportedly about 98,000 Canadian dollars a year, means he does not have to rely on food banks created for struggling students.

“this man [Mehul Prajapati] She’s landed a job as a bank data scientist at @TD_Canada, a position that pays an average of $98,000 per year, and she proudly uploaded this video showing how much “free food” she gets from charity food banks Is. You don’t hate them enough,” one user posted on X.

Following online backlash, TD Bank confirmed that Prajapati would no longer work for the company.

A social media user who shared the original video posted an update saying, “Update: Food bank robber fired.”

The post also included a screenshot of an email from the bank confirming the information.

Indian origin data scientist criticized on social media

Prajapati faced heavy criticism on social media regarding his video.

“Food banks are frequent. I used to volunteer regularly at my local food bank. When the bank is open people come and take what they need. Until now, embarrassment has been a guardrail for abuse. .People won’t come and stand in line unless they really need help, but some people have no shame,” one user told X.

Another user expressed outrage and wrote, “Imagine stealing from a charity created for those in need.”

The legality of the situation was also questioned.

A third user questioned, “Isn’t this some kind of crime?? If it can be proven that you get paid enough to feed yourself, then surely it shouldn’t be legal to receive food assistance?”

However, after Prajapati was fired, some people also expressed sympathy for him.

“Ah, that’s sad. He made a mistake, but what will he do now that he’s unemployed? He probably needs this work for immigration too. Shame + unnecessary job loss is better than embarrassing someone, One user expressed sympathy for Prajapati.

Another supporter pointed to the larger issue of food waste, arguing, “Just because you know what her job is/what her LinkedIn says doesn’t mean you know her personal situation. Plus, there’s enough food to eat – just look at how much is wasted every day. A fraction of a restaurant’s waste covers it tenfold.”