Daijiworld Media Network - Margao

Margao, Sep 11: The electricity department at Aquem has suspended a lower division clerk (LDC) and a head clerk (HC) for allegedly misappropriating over Rs 8 lac collected as consumer bill payments in Chinchinim.

Superintendent engineer Rajiv Samant said the irregularities, undetected since June–July 2025, surfaced during an audit inspection.

According to Samant, LDC Rizwana Perviz allegedly collected payments but failed to deposit them in the bank as required. The daily cash was neither deposited nor were the bank slips handed to HC Jose Sebastiano Fernandes for record entry.

The discrepancy was uncovered when auditors found that the collected funds never reached the bank. An internal inquiry followed, and the LDC has since repaid the misappropriated amount, officials said.

Both employees are suspended pending investigation and have been directed to report to the head office in Panaji for departmental proceedings.