Cyber Crime
Hyderabad: Rs 88 Lakh Fraud by Administrative Staff College Officer, Criminal Case Registered
The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) has filed a complaint with Hyderabad Police’s Central Crime Station (CCS) against a former Project Director (PD) and several private individuals, alleging financial irregularities that reportedly caused the institute a loss of approximately Rs 88 lakh.
The case was registered against six individuals, including the former PD, who was serving on a post-retirement basis. According to ASCI’s Administrative Officer, the professor was relieved of her duties in August following suspicions regarding her activities.
A subsequent internal investigation revealed questionable financial transactions during her tenure.
The officer stated that the professor, responsible for overseeing various training programs and projects, was authorized to engage vendors and support services based on institutional guidelines. However, after her departure, several vendors and consultants associated with these transactions appeared dubious.
An internal inquiry committee summoned the vendors for a Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process. “Five vendors failed to respond. Initial findings suggest their invoices and services were fabricated, and they allegedly received payments fraudulently without providing any actual services. This appears to be a criminal conspiracy involving the submission of false credentials and collusion with the former PD,” the Administrative Officer alleged.
The suspicious transactions reportedly took place between March 2021 and a few months ago. ASCI, established in 1956 as a collaborative initiative between the Government of India and industry, functions as a think tank for policy-making and capacity-building for professionals in governance and management.
The CCS has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused, citing charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery. Further investigations are underway.