Major financial fraud unearthed at ASCI’s HR Development Center

Hyderabad: The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), one of the country’s premier management training institutions, has uncovered an elaborate financial fraud involving bogus consultants and questionable transactions worth approximately Rs 88 lakhs at the Centre for Human Resources Development (CHRD) Following a complaint from the ASCI authorities, Hyderabad Central Crime Station (CCS) has registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including criminal conspiracy and cheating.

The alleged scam, which reportedly took place at the CHRD during Dr. B. Lakshmi’s tenure, came to light after her suspension. According to a complaint filed by B. Jagadesh Kumar, Administrative Officer at ASCI, Dr. Lakshmi was relieved of her duties in August 2024 under suspicious activity.

In his complaint, Kumar stated that Dr. Lakshmi allegedly conspired with several vendors and consultants to siphon off institute funds under the guise of fictitious projects and training programs. The fraudulent activities were found to have been carried out between March 2021 and 2024. He said an internal inquiry revealed significant discrepancies in invoices and services provided by five vendors:

Sheik Abhisheik Imlak, Gurugram – Rs. 19.25 lakhs
Bellapu Shruthi, Hyderabad – Rs. 10.00 lakhs
M. Burraiah, Madhapur, Hyderabad – Rs. 24.55 lakhs
Dhana Lakshmi, Panduranga Nagar, Hyderabad – Rs. 18.45 lakhs
MS Nalamasa Rajani, Hyderabad – Rs. 15.66 lakhs

The complainant further stated that none of the suspected consultants appeared for KYC verification before the internal committee despite issuing frequent summons to them, which raised suspicions about their authenticity.