V.Kanikumar v. The Home Secretary
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 10.03.2026
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.SATHISH KUMAR AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN W.P.(MD)No.1986 of 2020 V.Kanikumar ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Home Secretary The Secretariat St. George Fort Chennai 2.The Director General of Police O/o.The Director General of Police Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai Chenani 3.The District Collector Dindigul District 4.The Deputy Superintendent of Police Dept. of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Plot NO. 576/4 EB Colony Chettinayakanpatti Trichy Bye pass Road Dindigul-4 5.Nirmalagracy Thasildar Nilakottai Dindigul District 1/8
6.Murugan Village Administrative Officer Chevuganpatti and Sengatampatti Nilakottai Tk. Dindigul District 7.Manikandan Village Administrative Officer Nadukottai Chakkarapatti and Viralimayanpatti Nilakottai Tk. Dindigul District 8.Deivendran Village Administrative Officer Sandaiyur Rengappanaikanpatti Nilakottai Tk. Dindigul District 9.Sathya Village Administrative Officer Kombaipatti Nilakottai Tk.
Dindigul District 10.Jeyalakshmi Village Administrative Officer Malayakondanpatti Nilakottai Tk.
Dindigul District 11.Nawas Sherif Village Administrative Officer Kanavaipatti Village Nilakottai Tk. Dindigul District 12.Pandeeswaran Village Assistant Bathlagundu Nilakottai Tk.
Dindigul Dt.
13.Eugine Special Tahsildar Disaster Management Dindigul District ... Respondents 2/8
PRAYER:- Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondents No.1 and 4 to initiate disciplinary and other criminal proceedings against the respondents no.5 to 13 as per the enquiry conducted by the 3rd respondent through his proceedings in Na.Ka.777/2017/EE1 and to file a status report within a time as stipulated fixed by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.C.T.Perumal For R1 & R3 : Mr.J.Ashok, Additional Government Pleader For R2 & R4 : Mr.K.Sanjai Gandhi, Government Advocate For R5 : Mr.M.Titus For R6 to R11 : No Appearance.
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.) This writ petition has been filed seeking a direction to the first and fourth respondents to initiate disciplinary and other criminal proceedings against the respondents no.5 to 13 as per the enquiry conducted by the 3rd respondent through his proceedings in Na.Ka. 777/2017/EE1 and to file a status report within a time frame. 3/8
2.The grievance of the petitioner is that the Government sanctioned drought relief fund for the agriculturists during 2016-2017. However, the same has not been disbursed to the eligible farmers in Nilakottai Taluk and all the amount has been misappropriated by the private respondents herein. Therefore, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition seeking disciplinary proceedings as against the private respondents.
3.A status report has been filed by the third respondent/District Collector, Dindigul District stating that a sum of Rs.112 Coroe was allotted to the Dindigul District and thereafter, it was re-allotted to all the Taluks. It is further stated that initially when certain complaints received from the farmers of Nilakottai Taluk on the ground that the input subsidy was not properly credited into their accounts and there is rampant misappropriation of the subsidy by some revenue officials in the Taluk of Nilakottai. Therefore, the then Special District Revenue Officer(NH), Dindigul had been instructed to verify the veracity of the complaints and to submit a detailed report in this regard. Based on the report dated 29.06.2018, it is found that some of the Village Administrative Officers, Village Assistants and also a temporary Junior Assistant in the Taluk of 4/8
Nilakottai have involved in such act and thereafter, a recommendation had also been made to form a Special Team of Deputy Collectors to identify the misappropriation in an accurate manner. After taking disciplinary proceedings against the Village Administrative Officer, who is the sixth respondent herein, he was placed under suspension. Since he involved in improper credit, punishment of stoppage of increment for two years without cumulative effect was imposed on him. It is further stated that one Mr.Vijayaraja, Village Assistant was placed under suspension as early as on 11.11.2017 and a sum of Rs.20,971/- was recovered and remitted to the Government Account and punishment of stoppage of increment for one year with cumulative effect was also imposed on him.
More over, an action has also been initiated as against the 12th respondent/Village Assistant by removing him from service and it is also identified that a sum of Rs.4,37,510/- as misappropriation and necessary revenue recovery proceedings has also been initiated. The temporary employees have also been terminated from the Office. 4.The learned counsel appearing for the fifth respondent has filed a counter affidavit stating that the petitioner is the close friend of the 12th respondent.
the 12th respondent and one Jeyarajan, Computer Operator, the list of beneficiaries was prepared by the then Tashildar and the same was approved by the higher officials, before the fifth respondent taking charge of the Taluk Office. According to her, she took charge of the Taluk office as Tahsildar on 09.01.2017 and she only lodged a criminal complaint with regard to the misappropriation, which resulted in registration of a case in Cr.No.3 of 2018.
5.We have considered the submissions made on either side and perused the records carefully.
6.A perusal of the status report filed by the third respondent/District Collector, Dindigul reveals that disciplinary proceedings has already been initiated as against the erred officials and the 12th respondent has also been removed from the service. Though certain allegations have been made as against the fifth respondent, she joined the office only in the year 2017. Prior to that, the beneficiaries were identified. Since action has already been taken and a criminal case has also been registered in Cr.No.3 of 2018, no further order is required. However, the official respondents are directed to complete the pending 6/8
enquiry and if any amount is recovered, the same shall be recovered without any further delay. Accordingly, this writ petition is closed. No costs.
[N.S.K., J.] & [M.J.R., J.] 10.03.2026 Index :Yes/No Internet :Yes/No GNS To 1.The Home Secretary The Secretariat St. George Fort Chennai 2.The Director General of Police O/o.The Director General of Police Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai Chenani 3.The District Collector Dindigul District 4.The Deputy Superintendent of Police Dept. of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Plot NO. 576/4 EB Colony Chettinayakanpatti Trichy Bye pass Road Dindigul-4 7/8
N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.
AND M.JOTHIRAMAN, J.
GNS W.P.(MD)No.1986 of 2020 10.03.2026 8/8