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K’taka govt orders probe into unauthorised transactions by transferred gram panchayats
K’taka govt orders probe into unauthorised transactions by transferred gram panchayats
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Bengaluru, Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday ordered a comprehensive inquiry into alleged unauthorised bank transactions by gram panchayats even after they were fully transferred to urban local bodies.
He directed officials to submit a report within 30 days.
The inquiry follows reports that certain gram panchayats continued to operate their bank accounts using official specimen signatures and office seals even after their transfer to town panchayats, municipal councils or municipal corporations, the minister said in written instructions to the department secretary.
Khandre has directed the formation of a committee to examine whether unauthorised transactions took place in the bank accounts of transferred gram panchayats and whether funds were spent on works in villages even after their transfer to urban local bodies, his office said in a release.
In some cases, only certain villages under a gram panchayat were transferred to an urban local body, while the panchayat continued to bear the cost of works that it had undertaken or that were in progress in those villages, according to the department.
The minister has also ordered a specific inquiry into alleged financial irregularities involving the Kolar, Aliyabad and Amalapur gram panchayats in Bidar district.
Despite their complete transfer to the Bidar City Municipal Corporation, transactions reportedly took place and money was spent through the bank accounts of these gram panchayats, which were earlier under the Bidar Zilla Panchayat.
Khandre said the inquiry should establish how transactions were carried out in the transferred accounts, whether any official orders authorised them, and whether specimen signatures and office seals were misused.
The possibility of former gram panchayat employees and bank staff being involved should also be examined, he said.
He directed officials to send the signatures for forensic examination to establish their authenticity.
If prima facie evidence of irregularities emerges, the officials concerned should be suspended and steps taken to file a complaint at the local police station and register an FIR, Khandre said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
