Complaint Filed with ACB Accuses Village Panchayat of Conspiracy, Misappropriation of Public Funds Meant for Daily-Wage Workers

Team Goenkarponn

Panaji: A serious complaint has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Altinho, by Opposition panch member Inacio Domnic Pereira, a resident of Santa Cruz, North Goa, alleging large-scale misappropriation of government funds meant for frontline sanitation workers employed by the Village Panchayat of St. Cruz.

According to the written complaint, the Panchayat passed Resolution No. 7/10 on January 15, 2025, approving the appointment of 20 daily-wage workers for door-to-door garbage collection at the rate of ₹800 per day, amounting to ₹24,800 per month per worker. However, Mr. Pereira alleges that the actual disbursement per worker is only ₹10,000 monthly—less than half of the sanctioned amount.

RTI documents annexed with the complaint purportedly show cheque payments being made to individuals who are not engaged in garbage collection work, raising suspicions of fake entries and ghost workers. The complainant estimates a misappropriation of ₹14,800 per worker per month, leading to a total monthly loss of ₹2.96 lakh, and potentially ₹72.96 lakh annually.

Mr. Pereira has submitted documentary evidence, RTI replies, copies of bank statements, master rolls, and video recordings showing the real workers and their testimonies. He claims this is part of a broader corruption conspiracy, ignored even after the Block Development Officer rejected a related procurement proposal in December 2024, citing violations in e-tendering and technical sanction requirements.

He has demanded immediate registration of an FIR, a full-fledged investigation under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. He has also called for public transparency and strict legal action against those found guilty, warning that such scams erode public trust and exploit the most vulnerable workers in society.