'Payments Made To Deceased Persons': Calcutta HC Directs Purba Medinipur District Magistrate To Conduct Enquiry Within 3 Months Into Alleged Misappropriation Of MGNREGA Funds

The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the District Magistrate, Purba Medinipur to conduct an enquiry into the alleged defalcation of funds allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana and also the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. 

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj was adjudicating upon a plea alleging misappropriation of funds allocated under the aforementioned schemes. Furthermore, the Bench was apprised that the funds had not only been misappropriated but that payments have been shown to be made to deceased persons and those who are in custody. 

The counsel appearing for the petitioner further submitted that a detailed representation dated November 22, 2021, had been made before the District Magistrate, Purba Medinipur but so far no action has been taken in this regard. 

Furthermore, the counsel appearing for the State government submitted that there is no objection in the issuance of a direction for consideration of the petitioners' representation within a time-bound period.

Pursuant to a perusal of the rival submissions, the Bench directed, 

"Hence, we dispose of the present petition by directing the respondent no.2/District Magistrate, Purba Medinipur to duly consider the petitioners' representation in accordance with law and conduct enquiry after giving opportunity of hearing to all the concerned parties and take an appropriate decision in accordance with law as expeditiously as possible preferably within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order."

Accordingly, the matter was disposed of. 

Case Title: Amit Kumar Das and Ors v. State of West Bengal 

Case Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Cal) 5.

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