Thrissur: A former district industrial development officer has been sacked for embezzling Rs 19 lakh from government funds. Bindu (47) was dismissed from Pathanamthitta Adoor Ezhamkulam Panikassery, where he worked as an Industrial Development Officer in Thrissur and later as an Industrial Extension Officer in Vadakara Industrial Center. He had earlier been remanded in custody in connection with the scam. The order of the director of the industries department was handed over to Bindu yesterday.
While working as a liquidator at the Thrissur District Industrial Center, Bindu was appointed by the CPM as the administrator to seize control of Indian coffee houses. It is alleged that Rs 19 lakh was later transferred to his own account while he was the liquidator of the Thrissur Town Women’s Industrial Co-operative Society.
He had deposited Rs 22.8 lakh in the Thrissur Ayyanthol State Bank branch in the name of the liquidator. This was the proceeds from the sale of the premises of the Thrissur Town Women’s Industrial Center to the Thrissur Corporation. It was found that this amount was often transferred to the personal accounts of Bindu and her husband.
At the departmental level, the total amount in the liquidator’s account was only Rs 2.97 lakh. The Director of Commerce and Industry showed this and issued an indictment to Bindu. And suspended.
Bindu’s withdrawal through ministerial intervention without even repaying the money while he was suspended was also controversial. The action was limited to relocation to Kozhikode district. He was again suspended after his arrest. Bindu was also accused of irregularities during his tenure at the coffee house.
English Summary: Suspension in fraud case
