Notice to Tiruchy collector on plea alleging misappropriation of panchayat funds

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday issued notice to the Tiruchy collector and panchayat officials on a petition filed seeking action against the alleged misappropriation of funds of Malliyampathu panchayat between 2006 and 2016.

The petitioner, U Vigneshwaran, said he was elected as the panchayat president for Malliyampathu panchayat of Srirangam taluk in 2019. According to Vigneshwaran, while trying to implement an order passed by the high court in 2018, to remove encroachments on irrigation canals, burial grounds and public properties in Malliyampathu panchayat, he came to know that former panchayat president Kathirvel misappropriated nearly Rs 41.5 crore of panchayat funds during his tenure from 2006 to 2016.

Several acres of agricultural lands have been illegally converted to house sites by Kathirvel, he alleged. Even the lands of the irrigation canal and the village burial ground were not spared, he claimed and blamed the collector and panchayat officials for failing to check such a large-scale misappropriation. He requested the court to direct the authorities to take action against Kathirvel and two other persons for the offences.

A Bench of justices D Krishnakumar and R Vijayakumar issued notice to the authorities concerned, including the collector, and adjourned the case for a month.