Central funds used for campaign

Times of India, April 12, 2009

BHAWANIPATNA: The Kalahandi collector has suspended Daspur sarpanch Suratha Sahu for misappropriating Rs 3.5 lakh from Central funds and using the
money for meeting poll expenses. Sahu, who filed his nomination as an Independent from Junagarh Assembly segment, had apparently withdrawn Rs 20 lakh from a bank for carrying out "fictitious" projects under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

The matter came to light when an anonymous petitioner lodged a complaint with collector R S Gopalan about the fraud. "The petitioner had categorically informed us that Suratha was using NREGS funds for election purposes," Gopalan said. Shocked over the complaint, the collector ordered Golamunda block development officer Goura Chandra Parichha to conduct an inquiry into the allegation.

The BDO called Suratha and the village level worker to his office. During interrogation, Suratha admitted that he had taken Rs 20 lakh from the bank. He also confessed that the VLW had helped him to get the money.

But suspense still prevails as to how Suratha managed to withdrew the NREGS funds. Preliminary investigation revealed that Sahu, in the capacity of sarpanch, created fictitious projects to demand the funds. He then asked the BDO and the VLW to help him withdraw the money.

"Suratha confessed that he had demanded Rs 20 lakh by showing various projects to be carried out under NREGS. The BDO sanctioned the funds by violating the norm against payment of cash for NREGS work," the collector said, adding that the BDO has been also suspended. "Despite strict instructions, the BDO helped the sarpanch to withdraw cash. I wrote to higher officials regarding the BDO's role and suspended him according to their order," he said.

The collector said investigation was still on as to how Sahu managed to get the money from bank officials. "As of now, misappropriation of Rs 3.5 lakh has been established," he said. He, however, declined to comment on the cancellation of Sahu's MLA candidature.