Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday ordered a comprehensive inquiry into alleged unauthorised bank transactions by gram panchayats after they had been fully transferred to urban local bodies, the Press Trust of India reported.
Khandre directed officials to form a committee and submit a report within 30 days. The inquiry will examine whether transactions were carried out through the bank accounts of transferred gram panchayats and whether their funds were spent on works in villages after the transfer.
The inquiry was ordered following reports that some gram panchayats continued to operate their bank accounts using official specimen signatures and office seals even after being transferred to town panchayats, municipal councils or municipal corporations, the minister said in written instructions to the department secretary.
In some cases, only certain villages under a gram panchayat were transferred to an urban local body. However, the panchayat continued to bear the cost of works it had undertaken or that were in progress in those villages, according to the department.
The minister also ordered a specific inquiry into alleged financial irregularities involving the Kolar, Aliyabad and Amalapur gram panchayats in Bidar district, according to the Press Trust of India.
Transactions were reportedly carried out and money was spent through the bank accounts of these gram panchayats despite their complete transfer to the Bidar City Municipal Corporation. The gram panchayats were earlier under the Bidar Zilla Panchayat.
Khandre said the inquiry should determine how transactions were carried out through the transferred accounts, whether any official orders authorised them, and whether specimen signatures and office seals were misused.
He said the possible involvement of former gram panchayat employees and bank staff should also be examined. Officials have been directed to send the signatures for forensic examination to establish their authenticity.
Khandre said that if initial evidence of irregularities emerged, the officials concerned should be suspended. He also directed that steps be taken to lodge a complaint at the local police station and register a first information report.
The inquiry will examine the reported transactions, possible misuse of official signatures and seals, and the role of former panchayat employees and bank staff. Officials must submit their findings within 30 days and initiate action if evidence of irregularities is found.
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