Sadashivangar police have arrested three individuals, including two contract employees of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), for allegedly embezzling Rs 1.94 crore intended for student foreign travel grants.
The accused are V Soundarya (25) from Yeshwanthpur and R Deepika (25) from Hesaraghatta, both serving as assistant clerks at the IISc Registrar’s office. Also arrested was Deepika’s boyfriend, Sachin Rao (25), who allegedly aided the fraud.
Police said the accused created fake documents between June 2024 and October 2025 to siphon off funds. Using forged approval papers, they diverted travel grant money for eligible students into bank accounts belonging to relatives and close associates. The scam surfaced when IISc officials noticed unusually high numbers of students receiving grants, including some who had already graduated.
Suspecting irregularities, the Registrar ordered an internal audit. The inquiry revealed that Soundarya and Deepika had manipulated student records and created fake accounts to divert funds.
The duo systematically generated false travel-grant applications, combining the names of current and former students while inserting account numbers of acquaintances. Notably, they even sanctioned a grant in the name of Sachin Rao, Deepika’s boyfriend, according to police.
Authorities are continuing investigations to uncover any additional beneficiaries of the fraudulent funds.
