M ARUNACHALAM Vs. SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS public interest litigation has been filed seeking a direction to the respondents to initiate appropriate legal proceedings to recover a sum of Rs.10,08,00,000/ -, which is said to have been misappropriated by various officers and staff of 22 Co -operative Weavers Societies in Theni District.

(2.) ACCORDING to the petitioner, he, himself being a weaver and interested in the welfare of the weaving community, made a representation on 26.05.2009 requesting for appropriate action against the erring officers of 22 Co -operative Societies. He was informed by the 1st respondent by his proceedings in Na.Ka.No.22451/05/G1, dated 28.10.2005, that proceedings under Section 81 of the Tamil Nadu Co -operative Societies Act (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") had already been initiated. But, he would state that no further concrete action has been taken against the responsible officers. In the affidavit filed in support of the petitioner, he has given the following details of the societies and the amounts allegedly found deficit in their account. These details, he has collected from the 3rd respondent. They are as follows:

(3.) THE 3rd respondent has filed a counter as well as an additional counter. In these counters, the 3rd respondent has stated that there were no deficit in the accounts of these twenty two societies and instead there were only accumulated business loss. Further, it is stated that after completing enquiry under Section 81 of the Act in respect of the affairs of these 22 societies, further action has been taken. As a matter of fact, as per the additional counter, in respect of 14 Societies, based on the reports submitted under Section 81 of the Act, complaints were forwarded to the police, on which cases have been registered against the officers who were responsible for the said deficit and on completing investigation charge sheets have been laid against the respective accused. The cases are under trial. The details of the cases against the officials of varios weavers co -operative societies, as stated in the additional counter, would be as follows: