KRISHNAGIRI : Paranormal events are suspect and no one would expect government documents to support them. But, this is what has happened in the district, if the signatures of a dead panchayat president are genuine.
The late V Chandiran, who was president of Periyathallapadi in Uthangarai block, died on April 4, 2016, at Government Dharmapuri Hospital, according to the death certificate issued by the Dharmapuri Municipality.
But, he has put his signature on April 4 and April 11 in panchayat receipts. Chandiran’s first signature is on Receipt No. 7340, dated on April 4, 2016, for the Periyathallapadi VAO receiving `176 from a person for miscellaneous expenditure. The money was paid through village assistant Mahalakshmi.
The second is for Receipt No. 7333, dated April 11, 2016 for `100. The same village assistant handed over the money for miscellaneous expenditure.
The matter came to light at the Jamabandhi held in the first week of June when a Revenue official noticed it. No action has been taken in the matter. Asked about it, Uthangarai Tahsildar Amudhan said that he had intimated the Block Development Officer about the ‘foul play’.
Dhanasekaran was only recently promoted to the post and he was an auditor-cum-Deputy BDO in the block then, said Assistant Director (Panchayats) Mala. District Rural Development Agency Project Director Manthrachalam said he would look into the matter.
However, it is not known what action can be taken against the late V Chandiran, as the signatures appeared after his death.