A crackdown on corruption within the panchayats has led to the imprisonment of a Gram Sachiv (village secretary) in Chhattisgarh. The former secretary of Bhawanpur Gram Panchayat was sent to civil jail for a period of 30 days due to the non-payment of outstanding dues. In addition, arrest warrants have been issued to other secretaries and Sarpanchs implicated in similar financial irregularities.
Under the supervision of Sub-Divisional Officer IAS Prakhar Chandrakar, legal action is being taken against those who have failed to deposit outstanding payments related to construction projects carried out by the panchayats. Alok Thawait, the former secretary of Gram Panchayat Bhawanpur, was jailed for failing to remit ₹11,95,790. Warrants have also been issued for officials from Gram Panchayats Ganjaibhauna, Godihori, Reda, Amalipali B, Jildi, and other panchayats.
While some panchayats have made partial payments, they are facing warnings of imprisonment if the remaining amounts are not settled promptly. The administration’s stern stance is a clear warning to other panchayat officials involved in financial wrongdoing. Failure to clear outstanding dues may result in asset seizure and jail time.
Civil jail is a legal process that allows courts to detain debtors to enforce debt repayment. This can involve the seizure of assets or compelling them to work to settle the debt. Civil jail differs from criminal jail, which is for those convicted of criminal offenses, where incarceration is a form of punishment.