THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Special Vigilance Court has sentenced the former headmaster and a former clerk of Kilimanoor Government Higher Secondary School to six years of rigorous imprisonment for embezzling government funds. Judge Manoj A on Friday found former headmaster K. Rajan and former clerk Riyas Kalam guilty and sentenced them to a cumulative 27 years under various charges, along with a fine of Rs 4.54 lakh. However, since the sentences are to run concurrently, both will serve a maximum of six years in prison.
According to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), the duo misappropriated Rs 7,88,089 between 2011 and 2015 by drawing salaries in the names of retired teachers and diverting student scholarship funds and stipends. The investigation revealed that they manipulated SPARK software records and even destroyed documents to cover up the fraud. Public Prosecutor Veena Satheesan represented the VACB during the trial, which ultimately led to the conviction. (PTI)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com
