Rajkot: A major financial scam has come to light at Kendriya Vidyalaya on Kalavad Road in Rajkot, where a senior secretarial assistant has allegedly embezzled more than ₹3 crore over the past six years. The development follows a complaint of misappropriation of ₹23.83 lakh registered around 10 days ago. The accused employee, who was arrested earlier, has now been suspended with immediate effect.

An FIR lodged at the University police station by school principal Gangaram Meena pertains to the diversion of about ₹24 lakh through forged cheques and bank documents. However, school authorities suspect that the total embezzlement could exceed ₹3 crore, pending a detailed audit.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 337, 338, 339, 340(2), 344 and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. According to the complaint, the accused, Devendra Ganatra, allegedly forged the signatures of Principal Meena and postgraduate teacher Gautam Parmar on cheques and bank advisory slips, which were then submitted to the bank to siphon off school funds. The alleged misappropriation was carried out through multiple transactions over the past four years.

The irregularities came to light on November 21, when the Kendriya Vidyalaya Regional Office in Ahmedabad alerted the Rajkot school administration to unusual activity in the school’s bank account. A review of transactions revealed that in October, ₹11.83 lakh was transferred to a firm that had no contract or work order with the school. Further scrutiny of bank records showed that between April 2021 and August 2025, at least eight payments were made to unrelated parties.

School officials stated that several cheques appeared to have been tampered with and that Parmar’s signatures were allegedly forged on beneficiary lists submitted to the bank. Based on preliminary findings, police have so far registered the case for misappropriation of ₹24 lakh.

However, senior school officials maintain that the scale of the fraud could be significantly larger. An internal assessment suggests that funds may have been siphoned off over several years using similar methods, potentially pushing the total embezzlement beyond ₹3 crore. A comprehensive audit by the head office has been sought to determine the exact amount involved.

Police said they are examining bank documents, advisory slips and handwriting samples as part of the investigation. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the audit and forensic analysis.

Ganatra, who was due to retire on December 31, has been suspended, and a departmental inquiry has been ordered. All his service-related benefits have been withheld pending the outcome of the inquiry. DeshGujarat