Mangaluru: The civil and JMFC court in Belthangady has sentenced former president and secretary of Kaniyoor gram panchayat to one year imprisonment for misappropriation of funds allotted for the Indira Awaas Yojana (now Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana) in 2009.
The then secretary Sheena, the first accused and president Mahesh, the second accused, were sentenced to one year imprisonment and a Rs 5,000 fine under IPC Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent) read with IPC 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and six months imprisonment and a Rs 5,000 fine under IPC Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) read with IPC 34.
In 2009, a sum of Rs 3.05 lakh had been transferred from the Belthangady branch of a nationalised bank to the Indira Awaas Yojayana account of Kaniyoor gram panchayat. Sheena and Mahesh jointly signed the cheque and later diverted the money to Sheena’s personal account, thereby deceiving the villagers.