The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Proddatur civic chief sacked, arrested

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Proddatur civic chief sacked, arrested

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, SEPT. 27. The Proddatur Municipal Chairperson, Panyam Savithramma of the Telugu Desam Party, who was sacked on the charge of misuse of funds, sat in a dharna before the Municipal Council hall along with 16 TDP councillors on Monday evening while the council general body meeting was in progress.

Ms. Savithramma and the TDP councillors were arrested by the police on the municipality premises for violating prohibitory orders imposed under Section 144 IPC. Senior police officials visited the municipal office and urged them to give up their agitation in view of the promulgation of prohibitory orders. They were arrested when they refused to withdraw the protest.

Victimisation alleged

Ms. Savithramma decried the sack orders and alleged that she was being victimised by virtue of being a member of the backward classes. She asserted that she would voluntarily resign if the charges of misuse of funds, levelled against her by the Proddatur Municipal Vice-Chairman, Rachamallu Prasada Reddy of the Congress, were proved. She alleged that in the past, a Municipal Chairman, Chenna Venkatasubbanna, also a BC, was removed in a similar manner. She questioned the inaction on the charge of misuse of revolving fund of Rs. 5.51 lakhs by a Congressman.

Slogans raised

The protesting TDP municipal councillors raised slogans against the Congress MLA of Proddatur, N. Varadarajulu Reddy. Ms. Savithramma alleged that Congressmen secured her sack orders by pressurising the Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and wondered if the orders had the approval of the Minister and Director of Municipal Administration.

G.O. issued

Ms. Savithramma was removed from her elected post by G.O. 393 dated September 26, 2004, issued by the Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration, S.R. Rao, and the G.O. was sent to the Proddatur Municipality through a special messenger today. Consequently, the Proddatur Municipal Commissioner, B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, called on Ms. Savithramma in the evening and handed over a copy of the G.O. and an official letter to her stating that she was removed from the post by the Government.

The Municipal Vice-Chairman had complained to the Lok Ayukta alleging that Ms. Savithramma resorted to abuse of office and misused DFID funds to the tune of Rs. 10,000 and drew fuel bills for Rs. 1.32 lakhs for her jeep from October, 2002. The sack order comes in the wake of an enquiry report submitted by the Lok Ayukta, according to official sources.

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