Raigarh: A sub-divisional officer, sub-engineer with Rural Engineering Service (RES) department and retired principal were sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by a local court in an embezzlement case of government fund in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district.  

SDO N S Sidar (50), sub-engineer Rajesh Tiwari (30) and the retired principal of Government Primary School Koylanga gram panchayat, Sandharan Ekka (62) were sentenced to jail terms last evening by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sunil Kumar Nande for misappropriation of government funds of Rs 12,134 in 2013, District Prosecution Officer Kripal Singh Gawaskar said.  In 2011-12, a sum of Rs 2.15 crore was sanctioned under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan for electrification works in 715 schools of Raigarh district.

RES department was made the nodal agency for executing the task under which Rs 30,000 was to be spend on each school, he said.

The then principal Ekka of primary school Koylanga produced fake invoices of installation 7 ceiling fans, 4 tube lights and 5 CFL bulbs amounting to Rs 12,134 in his school under the scheme last year and had withdrawn the fund.  During inspection it was found that none of the equipment were installed in the school and the trio was allegedly involved in receiving the fund by furnishing counterfeit bills, following which a case was registered against them with Chakradhar police station, Gawaskar said.

During hearing yesterday, CJM Nande pronounced the punishment and imposed a fine of Rs 4,000 on each of them.  If the fines are not paid, their sentences will be extended by eight months, he said.

The court also rejected their bail pleas and sent them district jail, he added.