CHENNAI: An internal audit at a state-run veterinary university in Chennai has uncovered what investigators describe as a carefully executed diversion of public funds, stretching across four years and implicating officials entrusted with managing university-linked accounts.
A Fraud Uncovered on a University Campus
A case has been registered by the Central Crime Branch of the Avadi City Police following allegations of a ₹2.85 crore financial fraud at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), officials said. The alleged misappropriation occurred at the university’s Madhavaram campus and came to light during a routine audit of the Veterinary Incubation Foundation (VIF), an entity linked to the university.
According to the complaint, the fraud was detected during an audit conducted on August 5, 2025. The audit flagged irregularities across multiple university-linked bank accounts, prompting a deeper examination by a departmental inquiry committee. That scrutiny revealed a pattern of systematic fund diversion between 2021 and 2025.
The Audit That Raised Red Flags
The Veterinary Incubation Foundation, which operates within the broader institutional framework of TANUVAS, was subjected to an internal financial audit as part of standard oversight procedures. Auditors reportedly noticed discrepancies in account balances and transaction records that could not be reconciled with approved expenditures.
A departmental inquiry committee was subsequently constituted to examine the irregularities in detail. Its findings pointed to repeated transfers of money from multiple accounts associated with the university and its affiliated bodies. The committee concluded that the diversions were not isolated errors but part of a sustained pattern over several years.
Investigators said the audit’s conclusions formed the basis of the police complaint, which alleges deliberate siphoning rather than administrative lapses.
Roles, Appointments, and Alleged Misuse of Authority
Investigators have identified R. Vadivel as a central figure in the case. Vadivel joined TANUVAS in 2019 as a temporary accounts officer and later served as the temporary chief executive officer of the Veterinary Incubation Foundation from 2023. According to the inquiry, he allegedly used his access to financial systems to divert funds during his tenure.
Officials said that following the emergence of the allegations, Vadivel went into hiding. Efforts are ongoing to trace his whereabouts.
Further scrutiny of financial records also revealed the alleged involvement of V. L. Rajini, an assistant at the Centre for Animal Health Studies. Authorities said Rajini was linked to aspects of the financial transactions under review and has since been suspended from service pending further investigation.
Police Action and the Road Ahead
The Central Crime Branch of the Avadi City Police has taken over the investigation, treating the case as a serious instance of financial fraud within a public institution. Officers said they are examining bank statements, transaction trails, and internal correspondence spanning the 2021–2025 period to establish the full scope of the alleged diversion.
