Though one Panchayat official has already been arrested by the Pauri Revenue police in the case of financial anomalies, the second accused in the case  a former woman Gram Pradhan — has not yet been arrested as the revenue police do not have any woman staff member to arrest the accused woman.

The Tehsildar has now requested the regular police to provide police women to arrest the accused woman.

It should be noted here that the then village panchayat development officer in Kaljikhal, Manmod Singh Rawat was booked under sections 409, 420 of IPC in Kotdwar and is presently in jail.

However, the second accused in the case - former woman Gram Pradhan of Sarasu, Jaishri Devi could not be arrested as the revenue police has no women staff. Pauri Tehsildar Ashish Ghildiyal has requested the regular police  to provide police women to arrest the second accused.

Earlier the Pauri District Magistrate had asked the Chief Development officer Sonika to conduct inquiry into alleged financial irregularities and forgery in the construction of bathrooms in Sarasu Gram Panchayat of Kaljikhal block.

The inquiry was ordered based on information given by district Panchayat president Deepti Rawat about seven months ago.

The CDO had deputed the Swajal project manager for the inquiry and based on this inquiry report the revenue police registered case against the then village Panchayat development officer Manmod Singh Rawat and former Gram Pradhan in the month of April.

After the investigation in the registered case, the Pauri revenue police arrested Rawat in Kotdwar where he was posted in Dwarikhal block.

The Tehsildar told The Pioneer that investigation of the charges could not be completed earlier which had delayed the official’s arrest.

After the investigation was completed, the accused official was arrested in Kotdwar by Pauri revenue police and brought to Pauri where he has been sent to jail.

Meanwhile, the regular police has been requested to provide police women for arresting the accused former Gram Pradhan, Ghildiyal stressed.

It is pertinent to mention here that the villagers of Sarasu had complained to district Panchayat president Deepti Rawat that the former Gram Pradhan of Sarasu and then village Panchayat development officer had  not usurped the funds allocated for construction of bathrooms.

Some bathrooms were listed as constructed though no construction was done. More than  80 such cases were discovered in an inquiry after which a case was registered.