KEWAL RAM LOTHTA Vs. SECRETARY PANCHAYATI RAJ

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard.

(2.) The Block Development Officer, Chopal had sanctioned an amount of Rs.1,80,900/- to the Gram Panchayat, Pujarli for construction of toilets for 67 families of BPL i.e. Rs.2700/- to each family. Smt. Sunita, the then Ex-Pradhan and Smt. Usha Devi, then then Panchayat Secretary (respondents No.6 and 7 herein), withdrew an amount of Rs.85,000/- through self cheque from the accounts of the Gram Panchayat. This amount was shown to have been spent on the construction of toilets of 24 families belonging to BPL. But out of the said 24 persons, 3/ 4 persons had already died in the year 2008 and it is the allegation of the petitioner that fraud receipts were prepared after withdrawal of the amount in their names.

(3.) Not only this, on 18.11.2011, respondents No.6 and 7 again withdrew an amount of Rs.41,400/- from the Panchayat General Account against self cheque and the same were disbursed to 7 persons of BPL families for the construction of toilets. Here again one person died and Nikka Ram stated that he has not received any amount nor issued any receipt. An inquiry was conducted on the basis of a complaint and it was found that respondents No.6 and 7 had shown the receipts against dead persons.