BENGALURU: In the northeastern reaches of Bengaluru, where educational institutions have multiplied alongside the city’s technology corridors, a private college trust was presented with what appeared to be a transformative opportunity. According to a complaint filed with the police, a group of individuals approached the trust earlier this year with an offer: they would secure Rs 100 crore in Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, funding for infrastructure and development projects.
For institutions reliant on donations and grants to expand classrooms, laboratories and student facilities, such a sum can reshape prospects overnight. The proposal was framed as a professional facilitation effort, the complaint states — a coordinated arrangement through established corporate channels.
But by the time the assurances unraveled, the trust had transferred Rs 35 lakh in what it believed were documentation and processing fees. The funds, the trustees allege, have not been returned. The Hennur police in Bengaluru have since registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy against six people. No arrests have been made, officials said, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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Introductions and Assurances
According to the complaint filed by the managing trustee of the Hennur-based college, the approach began with a promise to facilitate Rs 100 crore in CSR funding for infrastructure and development works. The trustee was introduced to a man identified as Amarapalli Suresh, who, the complaint alleges, claimed to have contacts in Hyderabad and the ability to channel CSR funds through a Gujarat-based company.
Suresh is said to have introduced the trustee to several other individuals purportedly based in Hyderabad. Among them was a person named Venkataramana, who allegedly assured the trust that the funds would be sourced from a reputed corporate entity.
In interviews with the media, the complainant, Yashodha, described a sequence of meetings and representations that gradually built credibility. The accused, she said, asked the trust to submit institutional documents for verification — a step that, on its face, mirrored standard due diligence processes in corporate funding arrangements.
“They told us they would arrange Rs 100 crore in CSR funds and asked us to submit institutional documents for verification,” she said. “They later demanded money in stages towards documentation and processing charges.”
The complaint states that the accused traveled from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, where they scrutinized the institution’s paperwork and discussed the proposed funding. The physical visits, according to the complainant, reinforced the perception that the arrangement was legitimate. Trusting the assurances, the trust transferred Rs 35 lakh in phases.
Payments and Silence
The payments were described in the complaint as being tied to documentation and procedural requirements — steps that were framed as necessary to release the promised funds. The transfers were made over time, rather than in a single installment, suggesting an unfolding process rather than a one-time demand.
But, according to the complaint, the promised CSR funds were never released. After receiving the money, the accused allegedly stopped responding to phone calls. Efforts to obtain clarity or a timeline for the disbursal of funds were unsuccessful, the complainant said.
The allegations now form the basis of a criminal investigation into whether the representations made to the trust amounted to a coordinated scheme to cheat. The case has been registered at Hennur Police Station, and investigators are examining the financial trail and the roles of each of the six accused individuals.
Police officials confirmed that an investigation is underway to trace the accused and analyze the transactions involved. They declined to comment on specific allegations, including claims of political associations, stating that the probe would determine individual responsibilities.
Alleged Links and Expanding Questions
In her statement, Yashodha further alleged that Amarapalli Suresh was not merely an intermediary but played a central role in introducing the other accused and facilitating meetings. She described him as a close associate of former minister Kimmane Rathnakar and a native of Thirthahalli.
“We approached them seeking assistance for our college trust,” she said. “Amarapalli Suresh told us he was close to former MLA Kimmane Rathnakar and assured us of help.”
The complaint alleges that Suresh was “actively involved in bringing the other accused into the deal” and was “probably part of the conspiracy” that led to the trust being cheated. Police officials declined to comment on the alleged political connections, emphasizing that the investigation would ascertain whether any such links had relevance to the case.
In this case, investigators are expected to examine whether the accused misrepresented corporate affiliations or fabricated the existence of a sponsoring entity. They are also likely to trace the movement of the Rs 35 lakh transferred by the trust, including the accounts into which the funds were deposited and any subsequent withdrawals or transfers.
As of now, no arrests have been reported. The accused have not publicly responded to the allegations. The investigation, police officials said, will focus on identifying the accused, examining documentary evidence and following the financial trail. Whether the case will uncover a wider pattern of similar approaches to other institutions remains unclear.
