PATNA, India, Feb. 17 -- Patna High Court issued the following judgment on Jan 16:

1. This writ petition, in the nature of Public Interest Litigation, has been filed by Kumar Sidharth with following prayers:-

"1. That the instant writ application is being filed for directions, the concerned respondents authorities in Public Interest there should be investigate with immediate effect, there are huge irregularities in the 15th and 6th Finance Bills done by the Panchayat President Smt. Saroj Devi of Bhasurari Panchayat, a culvert has been constructed near the Khahar Pine, of Chintamanpur village, under Narkatiyaganj Block, District West Champaran. Whereas technical' administrative approval for said has not been received, which will become clear during the investigation, more than Rs. 65 lakhs has already paid in the account of his brother-in-law Rajesh Pal and brother Munna Pal, regarding scam of government funds. In the account of his own relatives, the action of the respondents is not permissible in the eye of law and thus vitiated and for other necessary relief/reliefs."

2. Counter affidavit has been filed by the Respondent Nos. 4 to 7 and 10 wherein, in Paragraph Nos. 7 to 16, it is stated as follows:-

"7. That it is most humbly submitted that the writ petitioner has been elected to the post of the ward member of ward no 08 of Bhasurari Panchayat of Narkatiaganj Block, District West Champaran, as well as after due process, the writ petitioner was selected for the post of Up-Mukhiya in the year 2021, thereafter, the no-confidence motion has been passed against the writ petitioner dated 15/07/2024, accordingly, the writ petitioner was removed from the post of Up-Mukhiya, after due process the Savitri Devi, i.e., the elected member of the ward no 02, has selected for the post of UpMukhiya.

8. That it is further submitted that the writ petitioner filed a petition before the SubDivisional Public Grievance Redressal Officer, Narkatiaganj, bearing case no 501110118092406000, regarding the financial irregularities. Thereafter, the SDPGRO, Narkatiaganj, has issued a notice to the respondent no. 10, i.e., the Block Development Officer, Narkatiaganj vide 50111-1919 dated 18/09/2024. Accordingly, the respondent no. 10 inquired about the matter through Panchayat Sachiw and submitted the report vide 888 dated 18/10/2024. After perusal of the report, the SDPGRO, Narkatiaganj, has found that Munna Pal, Rajesh Pal, and others, i.e., the relatives of the writ petitioner, had got work done under various schemes in the Gram Panchayat, due to which the payments of the labourers were made in their accounts. Hence, the SDPGRO, Narkatiaganj, has disposed the case and passed the order dated 25/10/2024 in detail.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://patnahighcourt.gov.in/viewjudgment/MTUjMTI1NDEjMjAyNSMxI04=-6iZhYvsUV1A=)

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.