Embezzlement of Rs 1 cr by Quepem socity shocks teachers

CURCHOREM, DEC 23
Teachers of government high schools and higher secondary schools from Sanguem and Quepem talukas have expressed shock over the alleged embezzlement of over Rs 1 crore in the Quepem-Sanguem Government High Schools and Higher Secondary School Teachers’ Co-op Credit Society, Curchorem.
While Society Chairman Deepak Devappa Dessai claimed that the alleged misappropriation is of Rs 64 lakh, the members stated that misappropriation took place during 2009-10, but the misappropriation is from 2007 and it will be about Rs 2 crore.
The issue cropped up during the general body meeting of the Society held at Chandreshwar Hall, Cotto-Amona, on Thursday evening.
Chairman Deepak Dessai informed the members that a clerk allegedly forged signatures of the chairman and the secretary and the cheques were issued in the names of persons who were not the members of the Society.
Irked with the chairman’s statement, there was uproar in the hall with the members demanding that the embezzlement should be recovered from the chairman and the secretary.
The chairman further informed that a police complaint has been filed against the clerk with Curchorem Police.
The chairman in his compliant alleged that the clerk is absconding from duties by taking away the cash and audit books of the Society. The members claimed that they had deposited their hard-earned money with the Society in the form of Fixed Deposits.
It is learnt that the Society has taken a loan of Rs 1.45 crore from an association based in Ponda. When contacted, Curchorem PI Bhanudas Dessai informed that the case has been forwarded to Economic Cell, Panjim, which is handling such matters.