COIMBATORE: The president of Marudur village panchayat in Coimbatore district was booked by DVAC for allegedly issuing fake job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme and misappropriating Rs 49.51 lakh.
The suspect, R Poornima (40) was elected as the village president in 2019. As per DVAC, during the years 2020-21 and 2021-22, she misused her official position to obtain a pecuniary advantage by issuing false job cards to ineligible persons, including her family members, under NREGA and using fake data misappropriating Rs 49.51 lakh.
It was also found that she issued job cards even in the name of deceased persons, the FIR reads. It is ascertained that the amount was credited to the job card holders’ account and later, the suspect received the amount, assuring that it will be used for developmental projects in the panchayat. She issued 1,878 job cards in Marudur village, out of which 319 were given to ineligible persons, sources said.
Based on the findings, the DVAC filed a case under sections 167, 468, 471, 477(A), 409 of IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The details of the case are officially informed to the authorities of the rural development department who will initiate a separate departmental inquiry, sources added.
