HYDERABAD: Taking a serious view of misappropriation of funds released by the Central government for construction of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission programme, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court has directed the director general of Telangana Anti Corruption Bureau and member secretary of Telangana State Legal Services Authority to investigate into misuse of funds of Rs 40 lakhs sanctioned by the Centre towards construction of toilets in Narsingi village of Medak district, and to submit a comprehensive report on the issue by December 18.
The bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice SV Bhatt was passing the order recently in the suo moto PIL based on a letter addressed to the High Court by a villager seeking action against the persons involved in misappropriation of funds.
The villager, in his letter, stated that the said funds were transferred to the personal accounts of sarpanch, panchayat secretary and bill collector of Narsingi village. He also stated that no developmental works, cement roads and sewerage pipelines works were taken up in the village. After going through the contents of the letter, the High Court treated it as a PIL case.
When the matter came up for hearing, the bench impleaded the ACB director general and member secretary of State Legal Services Authority in the case and directed them to inquire into the issue and submit report before the court.
The bench also issued notices to the respondents -- principal secretary to panchayat raj, commissioner of panchayat raj, Medak district Collector, district panchayat officer, Narsingi MPDO, gram panchayat secretary, sarpanch and bill collector to respond to the issue, and posted the matter to December 18 for further hearing.