Court sentences school officials to 4 years in jail over 'ghost' student scam involving 187 fake admissions

 

A court has sentenced two officials of a government-aided primary school to four years of rigorous imprisonment for fabricating student records and creating 187 "ghost" students to fraudulently obtain government funds meant for education.

The convicted individuals are Karunagara Sanjeev Doss, correspondent of Vitva Ratna Villa Government Aided Primary School, and Alice Thabitha Vijay Kumari, the school's headmistress. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed fines of Rs 35,000 on Doss and Rs 40,000 on Vijay Kumari.

Fake student records used to divert public funds

According to an official release from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), the fraud came to light during a joint surprise inspection conducted on August 27, 2012, by the DVAC's Vellore unit and inspection cell officials.

Investigators found that although the school had a much lower actual enrolment, official records falsely showed 259 students. The inflated figures included 187 fictitious students, enabling the school management to secure approval for six additional teaching posts.

The investigation concluded that the manipulated records were used to claim government grants and salaries that the institution was not entitled to receive.

State suffered loss of over Rs 4.69 lakh

The probe revealed that the accused wrongfully received Rs 4,67,121 in government salary payments for the excess teaching posts created through the fake enrolment.

They also claimed Rs 2,762 allocated under the government's noon meal scheme for the non-existent students.

Together, the fraudulent claims resulted in a financial loss of more than Rs 4.69 lakh to the state exchequer.

Following the investigation, the DVAC filed a charge sheet before the competent court in Ranipet.

Court finds officials guilty

Delivering its judgment on July 27, 2026, the court found both accused guilty of criminal misconduct and misappropriation of public funds.

The court sentenced both officials to four years of rigorous imprisonment, underscoring the importance of accountability and transparency in government-aided educational institutions.

Reminder on accountability in aided schools

The case highlights the need for regular audits, verification of student enrolment records, and stronger monitoring mechanisms in state-aided schools to prevent misuse of public funds.

Education authorities have increasingly relied on inspections and vigilance measures to detect fraudulent admissions, fake enrolment records, and financial irregularities, ensuring that government resources meant for students are used for their intended purpose.