Duo withdrew `48 lakh from the Hindi Prachara Sabha account in Andhra Bank in Vizag CBI books former Hindi Prachara Sabha prez, daughter

A case of cheating and misappropriation of funds has been filed by the CBI against former Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachara Sabha president M. Sita Lakshmi and her daughter M. Padma.

In a complaint by the current president Mr P. Obaiah, it was stated that the two women had abused their positions, misused funds and constructed an English Medium School named Navyodaya Vidya Niketan on their personal property with funds from the Sabha. The duo had allegedly withdrawn `48 lakh, through self-drawn cheques from the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachara Sabha account at Andhra Bank, Arilova Branch in Visakhapatnam between 2014 December and April 2015, In the complaint it was alleged that Sita Lakshmi and her daughter Padma had conspired during 2011-15 and had created false documents to facilitate their nefarious activities.

“The office clerk of DBHPS had withdrawn `10 lakh through bearer cheques issued by Sita Lakshmi and had handed over the money to her. With the funds, the mother-daughter team constructed a building in Arilova, Visakhapatnam and registered it as Navyodaya Vidya Niketan, an English medium school, under DBHPS. But no documents and accounts of the school were forwarded to DBHPS. Sita Lakshmi misused her position and diverted funds of the school into her personal accounts,” alleged the CBI in the FIR.

The English Medium School was constructed in the residential plot owned by Sita Lakshmi's daughter, Padma. The new president of DBHPS wrote a letter to the DEO of Visakhapatnam to cancel the recognition of the English Medium School. “After the committee demanded to see accounts, Sita Lakshmi admitted in writing that `48 lakh was spent by her to develop her personal properties. She promised to repay the amount with interest in three months. She requested the committee to refrain from approaching the police. The committee agreed. But as she did not return the money within the stipulated period, the organisation issued legal notices. She ignored the notice. The committee had a meeting and a resolution was passed and sent to Central Sabha Madras to remove her from the post of president and also cancel her membership.

Sita Lakshmi was dismissed as the president of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachara Sabha — Andhra Provincial Sabha. A case was booked against her and her daughter for criminal misconduct, conspiracy, breach of trust, cheating and using forged documents by the CBI.

Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1918 with headquarters in Chennai. From 1964, the Centre had authorised it to issue certificates in Hindi proficiency. In united AP it was based in Hyderabad and has branches in Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Guntakal, Rajhmundry and Guntakal.