PUDUCHERRY: A former Lower Division Clerk of the electricity department, P Shanmugam, was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for five years in a case of embezzlement of Rs 82.17 lakh, dating back to 2004, by Principal Sessions Judge J Selvanathan, on Monday. Two other accused in the case have died.
The case goes back to August 6, 2004, when authorities launched a criminal investigation following the discovery of the embezzlement. Shanmugham, who was entrusted with the duty of collecting money from the bill collectors of various sections of the department did not remit the collection amount of Rs 82,17,143 to the government SBI account.
He carried it out in connivance with Perumal, the then Drawing and Disbursing Officer of the department. With the money, Shanmugam had purchased a house on Airport Road in Lawspet. After a case was registered against Shanmugham and Perumal, Shanmugam in connivance with Radhakrishnan, the then Sub-Registrar, Oulgaret, disposed of the house even though the property had been attached by the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Two of the accused, Perumal and Radhakrishnan, passed away during the trial period. The Special Judge (for Corruption cases) sentenced Shanmugam to undergo rigorous imprisonment for five years each under IPC section 34 r/w 409, and Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.