NACHINOLA SARPANCH AND FORMER SECRETARY LAND IN DOCKS

MAPUCA: A case of misappropriation of RDA funds to the tune of Rs 66,000 has been registered against the Nachinola sarpanch, Ms Martina Fernandes and a former secretary Mr S S Phadte.  According to the Mapusa police, one Mr Dashrath Shirodkar, a contractor by profession has lodged a complaint that the sarpanch and former secretary had entered into a criminal conspiracy by withdrawing in his name Rs 66,000 in November 2005.

The complainant has said that both the accused forged his signature to prove that he had supplied material to the panchayat for undertaking some works under the RDA scheme and accordingly prepared a bogus cheque and withdrew money in his name. Though the police are yet to record the statements of both the parties, it is learnt from preliminary enquiry that the contractor has denied of having supplied any material to the panchayat during the said period. Police have booked a case of forgery, cheating and misappropriation against the accused duo. PSI, Mr Dhawaskar is investigating. The issue has attained significance in view of the fact that there was a heated discussion in the Nachinola gram sabha held a few days back over the issue of misappropriation of panchayat funds.

In another case, one Mr Dilipkumar Shirgaonkar, an official of the Assonora Co-operative Credit Society has complained that a clerk working in the bank has misappropriated ` 10,000 from the bank account in May last year.

According to the police, the complainant has named one Manoj Jadhav from Oras in Sindhudurg who was working in the society, of having taken ` 10,000 to be deposited in the bank and not showing it in the bank voucher. He has charged the accused of committing fraud on the bank. The accused has been arrested. ASI, Mr K P Raul is investigating.