Madras High Court
M.Sekar vs The Personal Assistant Of The District ... on 18 November, 2019
Author: D.Krishnakumar
Bench: D.Krishnakumar
W.P.No.12403 of 2017
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED 18.11.2019
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE D.KRISHNAKUMAR
W.P.No.12403 of 2017
and
W.M.P.No.13160 of 2019
M.Sekar ...
Petitioner
..Vs..
The Personal Assistant of the District Collector (Development),
Thiruvannamalai,
Thiruvannamalai District.
... Respondent
PRAYER : Petition filed Under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for
the file relating to suspension proceedings passed in
Na.Ka.3002/2017/PE2 dated 17/04/2017 on the file of respondent
and quash the same direct the respondent to reinstate the
petitioner.
For Petitioner : Mr.R.T.Sundari
For Respondent : Mrs.K.Bhuvaneswari
Additional Government Pleader
ORDER
The petitioner was a Panchayat Secretary in the Respondent Panchayat Union and misappropriated Village Panchayat funds of 1 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 Kuruvimalai Village in the year 2009-2011 in collusion with the then Village Panchayat President and Vice President of the said Village Panchayat and he was awarded punishment of stoppage of increment for three years in Proceedings Roc.No.13040/2011/pc2, dated 30.03.2016, subsequently the petitioner was transferred and joined duty at Krishnapuram Village Panchayat on 13.01.2015.
During the annual Audit for 2015-2016 of Krishnapuram Village Panchayat came to light, that the petitioner was in collusion with the President and Vice President of the Krishnapuram Village Panchayat and involved in misappropriation of village Panchayat Funds to the tune of Rs.14,65,171/- during the years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Therefore, he was placed under suspension in proceedings Na.Ka.3002/2017/PC2, dated 17.04.2017 issued to the Personal Assistant to Collector (Development) Tiruvannamalai.
Further the action also initiated against the Village Panchayat President of Krishnapuram Village Panchayat under Rule 205 of Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act 1995. The petitioner is challenging the said order before this Court and the counter has been filed by the respondent in the aforesaid Counter affidavit:
“7. As per G.O.Ms.No.43, Rural Development and 2 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 Panchayat Raj Department, dated 21.02.2000, all payments for purchases, payment for contract works should be made through third party cheque only. Cash payment has been banned. In this case instead of issuing third party cheques to the concerned supplier of street light materials and to contractors in case of water supply maintenance works, the petitioner in collusion with Village Panchayat President and Vice President, has misappropriated Rs.3,80,236/- and credited the following 16 payments into his own bank Account No.030809495967 maintained in State Bank of India (ADB), Polur. These transactions are tabulated hereunder:
Name of the person S Voucher Cheque Expenditure Third aprty Amount into whose No. No./Date No. Details concerned paid account the Date amount actually credited 1 1/ 85529/ OHT Sabari Motor 25256/- M. Sekar, 15.04.2015 15.04.15 Maintenance Rewinding Panchayat Works Secretary
2 4/ 85532/ Pipe Line Rajalakshmi 22600/- M. Sekar, 15.04.2015 15.04.15 Maintenance Electricals Panchayat 3 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 Arni Secretary 3 5/ 85533/ Street Light Rajalakshmi 36500/- M. Sekar, 24.04.2015 24.04.15 Maintenance Electricals Panchayat Arni Secretary 4 06/ 85534/ Water Supply Rajalakshmi 22160/- M. Sekar, 07.05.2015 07.05.15 Maintenance Electricals Panchayat Works Arni Secretary 5 08/ 85536/ OHT Sabari Motor 15600/- M. Sekar, 18.05.2015 18.05.15 Maintenance Rewinding Panchayat Works Secretary 6 10/ 85537/ Stationary Amma 1000/- M. Sekar, 24.07.2015 24.07.15 Expenses Printers Panchayat Secretary 7 11/ 85542/ OHT Raman OHT 15120/- M. Sekar, 24.07.2015 24.07.15 Maintenance Operator Panchayat Secretary 8 17/ 85547/ OHT Sabari Motor 23600/- M. Sekar, 26.10.2015 26.10.15 Maintenance Rewinding Panchayat Works Secretary 9 19/ 85548/ Street Light No Entries 23600/- M. Sekar, 07.11.2015 07.11.15 Maintenance made Panchayat Secretary 10 20/ 85549/ Pipe Line No Entries 30300/- M. Sekar, 09.11.2015 09.11.15 Maintenance made Panchayat Secretary 11 25/ 85557/ OHT Rajalakshmi 14500/- M. Sekar, 02.01.2016 02.01.16 Maintenance Electricals Panchayat Arni Secretary 12 26/ 85546/ Street Light Rajalakshmi 16500/- M. Sekar, 29.01.2016 02.01.16 Maintenance Electricals Panchayat Arni Secretary 13 27/ 85550/ Mini Power Sabari Motor 16500/- M. Sekar, 25.02.2016 25.02.16 Pump Rewinding Panchayat Maintenance Works Secretary 4 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 14 29/ 85558/ Pipe Line M. Sankar 61500/- M. Sekar, 28.03.2016 28.03.16 Maintenance Contractor Panchayat Secretary 15 31/ 85564/ OHT No Entries 31000/- M. Sekar, 29.03.2016 29.03.16 Maintenance made Panchayat Secretary 16 34/ 85566/ Street Light Lakshmi 24500/- M. Sekar, 31.03.2016 31.03.16 Maintenance Electrical Panchayat Arni Secretary Total 3,80,236/-
8. The petitioner in collusion with Village Panchayat President and Vice President misappropriated Village Panchayat funds to the tune of Rs.6,19,651/-
from Village Panchayat Scheme Fund Account of Krishnapuram Village Panchayat, by crediting the following payments into this bank Account No.030809495967 maintained at State Bank of India (ADB), Polur Branch and the following transactions are tabulated hereunder:
S.No. Voucher Cheque Third Party Amount Name of the No./Date No. Date beneficiary Name person into whose account the 5 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 amount actually credited 1 14/ 404953/ M. Sankar, 26173 A/C 07.11.15 07.11.15 Contractor, 030809495967 Kasthampadi M. Sekar, Panchayat Secretary 2 15/ 404955/ M. Sankar, 33900 A/C 07.11.15 07.11.15 Contractor, 030809495967 Kasthampadi M. Sekar, Panchayat Secretary 3 16/ 404956/ M. Sankar, 42860 A/C
09.11.15 09.11.15 Contractor, 030809495967 Kasthampadi M. Sekar, Panchayat Secretary 4 17/ 404957/ M. Sankar, 131501 A/C 17.11.15 17.11.15 Contractor, 030809495967 Kasthampadi M. Sekar, Panchayat Secretary 5 18/ 404960/ K. Prabu 37574 A/C 13.11.15 13.11.15 030809495967 M. Sekar, Panchayat Secretary 6 19/ 404961/ M. Sankar, 36312 A/C 07.12.15 07.12.15 Contractor, 030809495967 Kasthampadi M. Sekar, 6 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 Panchayat Secretary 7 27/22.03. 404958/ Vadivel Polur 8500 A/C 16 22.03.16 030809495967 M. Sekar, Panchayat Secretary 8 - 404969/ - 94256 P. Prakash, 12.04.16 246,Kulathu Street, Krishnapuram, 003234877056 8 9 - 404959/ - 97360 P. Prakash, 12.04.16 246,Kulathu Street, Krishnapuram, 003234877056 8 10 - 404970/ - 15600 M. Sekar, 12.04.16 1/101, road Street, Krishnapuram, 003080949595 7 11 - 404976/ - 82200 K. Elumalai, 16.08.16 124, Pillayar Kovil Street, Bakmarpettai, Murugapadi, 003147664632 12 - 404977/ - 13415 M. Sekar, 20.08.16 1/101, Road Street, 7 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 Krishnapuram, 003080949567 Total 6,19,651/-
9. Further he stated in the counter affidavit that instead of making payment through 3rd party cheque to TNCMSPGH beneficiaries, the petitioner in collusion with Village Panchayat President and Vice President misappropriated Rs.5,11,440/- by crediting the following payments into the petitioners bank Account No.030809495967 maintained at - State Bank of India (ADB), Polur Branch and also into bank Account of others who are not at all related to these transactions are tabulated hereunder:
Sl.No. Voucher Cheque Amount Third Party Bank Account No./Date No. beneficiary Name No. Date 1 4/04.11.15 667354/ 11660 Panchiyammal W/o. A/C 04.11.15 Thanjiappan 03619825020 Thanjiappan 2 5/04.11.15 667355/ 39904 Panchiyammal W/o. A/C 04.11.15 Thanjiappan 03619825020 Thanjiappan 3 8/05.12.15 667358/ 29760 Thanjiappan S/o A/C 05.12.15 Pillaiyar 030450243254 Pachiyammal 8 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 4 9/05.12.15 667359/ 11660 Thanjiappan S/o A/C 05.12.15 Pillaiyar 030450243254 Pachiyammal 5 11/04.01.16 667361/ 39904 Thanjiappan S/o A/C 04.01.16 Pillaiyar 031884708299 Radha Polur 6 12/11.01.16 667362/ 29760 Manikandan A/C 11.01.16 030809495967 M. Sekar Panchayat Secretary 7 13/11.01.16 667363/ 11660 Paraman A/C 11.01.16 031457664632 K. Elumalai Panchayat Secretary Murugapadi 8 15/12.01.16 667365/ 64295 Pachiyammal A/C 12.01.16 031457664632 K. Elumalai Panchayat Secretary Murugapadi 9 16/11.01.16 667366/ 29760 Rajakili S/o. A/C 11.01.16 Subramani 030809495967 M. Sekar Panchayat Secretary
10 17/15.03.16 667368/ 39904 No entries made S. Rajakili 15.03.16 11 - 667370/ 29760 D. Pachiyammal 030450243254 04.05.16 1980. Othavadi Street, Krishnapuram 12 - 667371/ 52566 B. Thanchayappan, 030619825020 14.06.16 209, Othavadi Street, 9 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 Narayanamangalam 13 - 667372/ 41600 M. Sekar, 1/101, Road 030809495697 20.06.16 street, Krishnapuram 14 - 667377/ 22440 K. Elumalai, 034712824609 31.12.16 Panchayat Secretary, 124, Pillayar Kovil Street, Bakmarpettai, Murugapadi, 15 - 667377/ 56807 G. Manikandan, 034712824609 31.12.16 Panchayat Secretary, 187, Braminar Street, Sengunam.
Total 5,11,440
/-
In many cases, even funds release intimation have not been issued by Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat) Polur which is mandatory for making payments from this Village Panchayat Fund Account 6.
This is gross violation of rules and regulation. Hence criminal action is being initiated against all the three offenders. Also the petitioner in collusion with Village Panchayat President and Vice President fabricated false receipts in these misappropriation.”
2. Therefore, according to the respondent, the aforesaid 10 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 serious irregularities have been committed by the writ petitioner and the disciplinary proceedings and criminal action was taken by the respondent. In the light of the aforesaid counter affidavit filed by the respondent, the writ petitioner was placed under suspension by the impugned order.
3. Thereafter, the charge memo has been filed against the petitioner and enquiry is pending before the respondent. In view of the aforesaid submissions and the facts, the petition challenging the impugned suspension order, cannot be entertained and the same is unsustainable. Therefore, at this stage, this Court cannot interfere with the impugned suspension order.
4. Accordingly, this Court directs the respondent to conclude the disciplinary proceedings in accordance with law within a period of six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that the respondent should follow the procedures as contemplated under law and the petitioner is also directed to co-
operate for the enquiry.
11http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017
5. Hence, this Court cannot interfere with the impugned suspension order and the contention of the writ petitioner is liable to be rejected.
6. This Court by an order dated 30.04.2019, recorded the statement of the petitioner that the subsistence allowance was received from 17.04.2017 to January 2019. Further, the petitioner has submitted that the respondent has not paid the subsistence allowance from January 2019 onwards. If that being so, the respondent is directed to pass appropriate orders for rejection regarding the settlement of subsistence allowance within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of this order (or) the respondent is directed to settle the subsistence allowance to the writ petitioner within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
D.KRISHNAKUMAR,J.
Pns
7. In the result, the writ petition stands disposed of, with the 12 http://www.judis.nic.in W.P.No.12403 of 2017 above observations. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition stands closed.
18.10.2019
Index : Yes
Internet : Yes
Speaking order
Pns
To
The Personal Assistant of the District Collector (Development), Thiruvannamalai, Thiruvannamalai District.
W.P.No.12403 of 2017 13http://www.judis.nic.in