Coimbatore: District collector K Rajamani has placed Kariyampalayam village panchayat secretary under suspension for amassing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 89.18 lakh.
Earlier, the collector had ordered the rural development and panchayat raj department to conduct a detailed investigation into a series of complaints that he had received against M Karthikeyan, Kariyampalayam panchayat secretary, stating he had accumulated assets and pecuniary resources worth about Rs 89.18 lakh in his name and in the name of his family members during his earlier stint as the secretary of Kunnathur village panchayat between April 1, 2013 and December 31, 2019.
According to an official source, Karthikeyan, a resident of Kattampatti village panchayat, became the secretary of Kunnathur village panchayat in 2013. Since the state government failed to conduct the local body election in 2016, he continued in the position till December 2019. “During this period, he was involved in corruption and had earned lakhs of rupees by violating rules.”
Karthikeyan, the source said, had constructed a house at a cost of more than sRs 50 lakh in his village and bought land in his name and his wife’s name in and around the village.
Former Kunnathur village panchayat president had also lodged a complaint against Karthikeyan with the district collector. In January 2020, Karthikeyan was transferred to Kanjampatti village panchayat and then to Kariyampalayam village panchayat three months ago, the source said.