Municipal accountant suspended

The accountant of Mannargudi municipality, Saraswathi, 50, of Thanjavur, has been placed under suspension on charges of attempting to misappropriate civic body funds.

According to sources, Saraswathi recently handed over a cheque for ₹2.50 lakh to a co-worker asking him to encash it. However, the staff found the signature of the Commissioner in-charge, who had been transferred to another civic body recently.

Subsequently, the staff brought the issue to the notice of the current Commissioner in-charge, Thirumalaivasan. Questioned, Saraswathi admitted to have forged the signature of the former official. She was placed under suspension pending further inquiry, sources said.