Audit Finds Unauthorised Cash Withdrawal and Unrecorded Expenditure in Nagoī Panchayat

A district‑level audit of Nagoī Gram Panchayat in Bilaspur has uncovered a series of unauthorised financial actions by the panchayat secretary, Tulsī Dhruv. The findings prompted the district chief executive officer to suspend the official without delay.

Key discoveries include a direct cash withdrawal of ₹12.14 lakh, which was spent on purchasing materials, directly violating the rule that any transaction exceeding ₹10,000 must be executed via cheque or electronic transfer. This breach reflects a serious lapse in adherence to established financial procedures.

Additional irregularities involve a wage payment of ₹1.88 lakh for sewer cleaning and construction work that was logged without any date reference. An expense of ₹4.81 lakh was also recorded on a receipt lacking a signature, raising red flags for potential misuse of funds.

The audit further noted that essential items like pump sets, street lights, and piping were acquired without conducting a tender, and no corresponding entries existed in the stock register, indicating poor inventory management. Moreover, 12 of the 16 compulsory registers required for panchayat administration were not maintained.

Following an unsatisfactory reply to a show‑cause notice, the CEO applied the Panchayat Service (Conduct) Rules to suspend Dhruv. Investigations into other payments and transactions are ongoing, and the administration has pledged to take further departmental or legal steps based on the final report.