Mandya: Following allegations of dereliction of duty resulting in the loss of Rs.3.35 crore to the state exchequer, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department Principal secretary Nagambika Devi has ordered Mandya ZP CEO B. Sharath to file a criminal case against 6 Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs)

The six PDOs – Arati Kumari of Chinakurali Gram Panchayat, M.P Raju of Honaganahalli GP, K.N Swamy Gowda of Gummanahalli GP and their Predecessors K. Mahesh (now sewing at Hosahalli GP in Srirangapatna Taluk) P. Shivanna (now sewing at K. Shettahalli GP in Srirangatna Taluk) and K.S Nagaraj (now sewing at Lakshmisagar GP in Pandavapura Taluk) will face action for alleged non-collection of cess and Taxes complying with the procedure at 3 Gram panchayat limits in Pandavapura Taluk between 2009 and 2016.

Senior official recommended criminal action against the errant PDOs, when they failed to provide relevant documents along with their reply to show cause notices issued to them in 2016.

The inequalities had come to light when the Chief Accounts Officer (CAO) conducted an audit of expenditure and balance during the audit, it was found that though the cess has been fixed according to the law, they had not collected taxes to the time of Rs. 3.35 crore from over 1,700 properties.