How Forensic Accountants Catch Fraud Others Miss | CA Vijay Srinivas | Coffee with CA

What does it take to catch a ₹750 crore fraud buried inside a company's books? In this episode of Coffee with CA, host Geena Bharwani sits down with CA Vijay Srinivas Kothapally — a forensic accountant who fell for coding as a kid in small-town Telangana and turned that edge into a career catching fraud others miss. From learning computers on a Rajiv Gandhi–era government program to winning an AI hackathon against people half his age, Vijay shares the mindset, the methods, and the stories behind forensic accounting. We get into what forensic accounting really is, whether AI will replace accountants, the fraud triangle every professional should know, and a real ₹750 crore case that plays out like a thriller. Plus his advice for young CAs and small-town professionals trying to build a name. Guest: CA Vijay Srinivas Kothapally— partner, forensic accountant, ICAI faculty & tech advisor Host: Geena Bharwani Which answer surprised you most? Tell us in the comments. Like, subscribe & tap the bell for more Coffee with CA. #CoffeeWithCA #ForensicAccounting #CharteredAccountant #ZohoBooks #FraudInvestigation #CAlife #Finance #AIinFinance #ZohoForCAs YouTube Chapters 0:00 - Intro — meet CA Vijay Srinivas Kothapally 1:10 - Why CA — and the pull toward tech 2:13 - Discovering computers in the '80s 3:25 - Small-town roots & the English struggle 5:11 - From manual ledgers to Lotus 1-2-3 6:30 - The tech guy: a celebrity, not an outcast 8:09 - Shaping the CA syllabus at ICAI 10:30 - Career journey: marriage, London, Karvi & City Bank 13:13 - Going solo & stepping into forensics 15:48 - What forensic accounting really is 16:44 - Will AI replace forensic accountants? 18:41 - What forensic CAs see that others miss 20:43 - The ₹750 crore fraud case 25:20 - The fraud triangle & fly-by-night scams 28:29 - Banking trust & why fraud-sharing broke down 32:03 - Advice to young CAs: passion over paycheck 34:18 - Small town to global: building your name 36:03 - Fun segment: Debit or Credit 38:41 - Wrap-up & thanks