Nagpur: Archana Kishore Chaudhary, the tainted Sarpanch of Dahegaon Rangari in Saoner Tehsil, District Nagpur, has been suspended on the charges of misuse of power, misleading the government and people for personal gains and other charges.
According to details, the complainant Chandrakant Janardan Gondane, resident of Dahegaon Rangari, had submitted a complaint to the Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur Division against the Sarpanch of Dahegaon Rangari Archana Chaudhary and 11 other members of the Panchayat Samiti. Gondane had charged the Sarpanch and others of misuse of office. According to Gondane, the Sarpanch and others had went ahead with establishing weekly market at Dahegaon Rangari from 19.8.2014 despite knowing that permission of Zilla Parishad is necessary in accordance with Section 70 of Gram Panchayat Act. Gondane had listed a host of other charges accusing the Sarpanch of misusing powers and indulging in illegal acts for her personal gains.
It is pertinent to recall, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court had recently rejected anticipatory bail application moved by Dahegaon-Rangari Sarpanch Archana Chaudhary, facing prosecution for misuse of her office. Chaudhary had unsuccessfully tried to drag name of Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule into the controversy and alleged that due to tiff between her husband and a close aide of Energy Minister, she was implicated in the criminal case. However, a division bench consisting of Justice P B Varale and Justice Murlidhar Giratkar, found these allegations completely baseless and refused to give any direction to police authorities. Chaudhary approached the HighCourt with a prayer to quash and set aside the First Information Report, dated 18.7.2017 registered with Khaparkheda Police Station, for the offences punishable under Sections 409, 420, 34 of the IPC. She had claimed that FIR was lodged as a counter-blast to her ongoing fight against powerful persons who are close associates of Guardian Minister and she submitted representation to ZP CEO and even Chief Minister.
The High Court while turning down the contentions that FIR was a counter-blast noted that representations were made by husband of petitioner, who seems to be active in his political life. Besides, about representation of Madhukar Gonade, the High Court noted that he merely asked CEO to conduct an enquiry and verify the record. By no stretch of imagination, we find that this endorsement of the Minister is exceeding his jurisdiction or the Minister had issued certain directions beyond his powers, the High Court had noted while rejecting allegation against Guardian Minister.
