Ex-VC among 6 held in Rs 45cr fake bill scam at Bidar vet varsity

Bidar: Lokayukta police arrested six persons, including a former vice-chancellor and a retired controller, in connection with an alleged Rs 45 crore fake bill scam at the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University here.

The arrested persons have been identified as former vice-chancellor HD Narayanaswamy, retired in-charge financial controller KL Suresh, FDA Mrutyunjaya Hiremath, and Bengaluru-based enterprise owners Bopanna, Manjunath and Ramagonda.

According to Lokayukta police sources, the accused allegedly created fake bills and misappropriated over Rs 45 crore in public funds during 2017-18 in the procurement of materials for the university. Narayanaswamy was serving as vice-chancellor and KL Suresh as controller during the period.

Sources said FDA Mrutyunjaya Hiremath allegedly colluded with private enterprises in Bengaluru in carrying out the irregularities by creating fake purchase bills, invoices and fabricated records without actually purchasing any materials.

Lokayukta police conducted raids in 2021 after the alleged irregularities surfaced. As part of the intensified investigation, simultaneous raids were carried out at more than 25 locations across the state on Sept 10, 2025, during which key documents were seized.

Investigators said the involvement of senior university officials, staff members and private enterprise owners in the alleged scam was established during the probe.

The Bidar district and sessions court issued warrants in connection with the case, following which Lokayukta police launched an operation and arrested some of the accused in Bidar and others in Bengaluru before producing them before a court in Bidar. The arrested accused were later produced before a judge and are likely to be remanded to judicial custody.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Lokayukta ADGP Manish Kharbikar, IGP AS Subrahmanyeshwara Rao and SPs Badrinath and Siddaraju. Bidar Lokayukta DSP Hanumantharaya, Santosh Rathod and other personnel participated in the operation.