Ooty panchayat union former official gobbles up Rs 58 lakh in 3 months

The accused, B Chandrasekaran, formerly commissioner (BDO) worked in panchayat union, Udhagamandalam from July 2019 to July 2020 and was entrusted with the panchayat union general funds, the FIR said.

Chandrasekaran had to look after general administration, engineering, public health, revenue and its cost-effectiveness, besides the works entrusted by the panchayat council. He was responsible for utilising the panchayat union general funds after being approved by the panchayat council.

In 2020, by March 31, as many as 36 works were taken up by the accused individually without the prior approval of the panchayat council.

Chandrasekaran, without executing the works, made false entries in the M-books, forged completion reports and vouchers, and misappropriated Rs 58.11 lakh from the panchayat union general funds thereby causing huge loss to the government exchequer, noted the DVAC FIR, registered against the accused under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.