Two panchayat officials suspended in Munnar for financial malpractices - The HinduPublished - May 16, 2026 09:31 pm IST - IDUKKILocal Self Government Department (LSGD) Principal Director H. Dineshan on Saturday suspended two panchayat officials after serious lapses in project implementation were uncovered in Munnar panchayat. The suspended officials have been identified as Munnar panchayat secretary G.P. Udayakumar and assistant secretary Manish Dev. The suspensions followed an inspection conducted by the LSGD Joint Director, which was initiated based on a complaint filed by Munnar residents Riyaz R. and Muhammed Ahraham. The inspection unearthed severe irregularities in the panchayat’s project execution. According to the suspension order, the secretary and assistant secretary engaged in serious malpractices regarding the renovation works of the panchayat-owned crematorium. Lapses were specifically found regarding a handover to a private agency, Glow Green Engineering. The order further stated that malpractices were detected in the distribution of gumboots and gloves for MNREGS workers in the panchayat. Due to non-procedural procurement, the officials caused a loss of ₹15,66,085 to the panchayat, an amount that is to be recovered from the responsible secretary. The order also exposed irregularities in the distribution of laptops for SC and general categories in the panchayat. The probe revealed that the officials prepared a fake beneficiary list to facilitate large-scale bribery. Investigators found that laptops were distributed to 26 individuals in the general category and 17 in the SC category who were not included in the original, approved list. Furthermore, the order noted that funds earmarked for the SC category were misappropriated. The officials also failed to ensure proper waste management in the panchayat and committed malpractices under the guise of waste management initiatives.Published - May 16, 2026 09:31 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }