Vigilance court in Kerala sentences three persons in rice misappropriation case
The Vigilance Court in Kollam on Monday (June 29, 2026) sentenced three persons, including a former Pandalam block development officer (BDO), to 14 years of
The Vigilance Court in Kollam on Monday (June 29, 2026) sentenced three persons, including a former Pandalam block development officer (BDO), to 14 years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹50,000 each for diverting the rice allotted as wages for workers under a rural employment scheme. Pronouncing the verdict, enquiry commissioner and special judge (vigilance) Mohith found former BDO K.
Vasudevan Nair, 76, former beneficiary committee conveners of Pandalam block panchayat Y. Shalu Khan, 47, and K. Sivaranjan, 62, guilty in the case relating to the misappropriation of rice supplied under the Sampoorna Grameena Thozhil Padhathi (Total Rural Employment Programme). The court held that the accused caused a loss of ₹13.08 lakh to the government by diverting the rice allotted under the scheme and selling it through illegal channels.
Between 2000 and 2005, the government had allocated rice from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns to Pandalam block panchayat for distribution as wages to workers engaged in various projects within Pandalam municipality limits. According to the prosecution, around 2.11 lakh kg of rice received for the programme was diverted without implementing the sanctioned projects. The Pathanamthitta vigilance unit registered a case in 2008 following the detection of the alleged irregularities.
The other accused in the case, including a former Pandalam block panchayat vice-president and three other beneficiary committee conveners, died during the course of the proceedings. Public prosecutor Siju Rajan appeared for the Vigilance department.
The BriefWire