Shillanji panchayat member removed amid Rs 1 cr scam

A major scam has rocked the Shillanji gram panchayat of Rajgarh Block, with a panchayat member being removed just as a Rs 1 crore development fund misappropriation case comes under investigation by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB), Nahan.

Sirmaur DC Priyanka Verma has issued orders removing Subhash, elected from Ward No. 7 of Shillanji panchayat, for violating provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act. He was found guilty of using his position for personal financial gain and neglecting his official duties.

Subhash has also been disqualified from contesting any Panchayati Raj elections for six years. Additionally, he has been ordered to repay Rs 23,070, allegedly embezzled by him, into the panchayat account. His seat now stands officially vacant.

This administrative action follows the registration of a high-profile FIR by the Vigilance Bureau into a Rs 1 crore scam involving 12 individuals. The accused include the current Panchayat Pradhan, a former Panchayat Secretary, a Junior Engineer, a Technical Assistant, several ward members and local material suppliers.

The case originated nearly two years ago after residents of Dhandhadel Kanog village submitted a detailed complaint, citing massive financial irregularities across nearly a dozen panchayat development works. When repeated appeals to the Deputy Commissioner and Block Development Officer yielded no results, villagers approached the judiciary, leading to the launch of a formal vigilance probe.

The probe uncovered discrepancies in the execution of government-funded projects. Prosecution sanctions were later obtained from competent authorities, allowing the SV&ACB to register the FIR.

Subhash’s dismissal is the first major fallout in the widening probe, which has triggered public concern over corruption and accountability in the grassroots governance of Rajgarh development block.

Himachal Tribune