Officials rapped for failing to recover civic body funds

Justice S M Subramaniam was disposing a petition filed by K Balachandran, Vice Chairman, Panamarathupatti Panchayat, Salem district who sought for a direction to the Municipal and vigilance authorities to recover Rs 33.53 Lakhs misappropriated by P K Madhaiyan, Executive Officer Jalakandapuram Town Panchayat in 2015.

The judge in his order said, “When the huge amount of such a small-Town Panchayat is misappropriated by the employee and no action has been taken for the past many years to recover such financial loss, it is painful to observe that the officials have not acted diligently and efficiently.”

“In this view of the matter, this Court has no hesitation to direct the authorities to initiate appropriate action against all the officers concerned to recover the entire financial loss occurred because of illegal acts of the employees or otherwise by following the procedures contemplated under the Rules for recovery. The exercise shall be done without any further delay and the same is to be done forthwith,” the judge ordered.

Also, on citing the audit reports which reveal the misappropriation of Rs 33.53 lakh by the said officer, the judge also held, “Mere pendency of the disciplinary proceedings or criminal case would not preclude the authorities from recovering the loss occurred to the town panchayat or to the State exchequer.”

The judge on noting that integrity and honesty must be the predominant character of a public servant and there cannot be any leniency either by the Courts or the by the State in respect of these characters to be maintained by public servants without any fail, said, “In the event of not effecting recovery by such officials, then the State shall initiate appropriate action against the superior officials and recover the same from their salary.”