Assam : Cases filed against 3 panchayat secretaries, former presidents for embezzlement

Hailakandi

The Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad, Hailakandi, Assam has filed FIRs against the Gaon Panchayat secretary and former president of Sudarshanpur Bandukmara Gaon Panchayat and Bhatirkupa Gaon Panchayat secretary and former president for misappropriation of public money.

In the FIRs filed at the Hailakandi Police Station, CEO, Zilla Parishad, NKSK Shantee Singha asked the police to initiate action as per law against GP secretary Badaruddin Laskar and former president Ayarun Nessa Laskar of Sudarshanpur Bandukmara Gaon Panchayat and GP secretary Badaruddin Laskar and former president Benowara Begom Mazumder of Bhatirkupa Gaon Panchayat for withdrawing funds with ‘malafide intention’ and in gross violation of government guidelines resulting in misappropriation of public money.

Rs. 7.71 lakh under performance grant and Rs. 19.58 lakh under basic grant (first instalment) awarded by 14th Finance Commission were credited to the account of Sudarshanpur Bandukmara GP while in the case of Bhatirkupa GP, Rs. 7.37 lakh under performance grant and Rs.18.37 lakh under basic grant for 2016-17 were deposited into its account. The GP funds deposited on February 6 and 21 last were embezzled.

Meanwhile, CEO, Zilla Parishad has also filed a case against GP secretary Manoj Kumar Chaturvedi and former president Anuradha Das of Monacherra Gaon Panchayat for siphoning off funds.

It may be mentioned that in a meeting convened by the Zilla Parishad with the secretaries of 62 Gaon Panchayats in Hailakandi district on February 26 last, strict directive was issued to them not to withdraw GP funds.  Earlier, a communiqué was also issued to the GP secretaries in this regard on February 22 last.