Hyderabad: A vigilance probe by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has uncovered large-scale misuse of public funds in the erstwhile Badangpet Municipal Corporation. A former commissioner, along with nine senior officials, allegedly sanctioned 450 works worth ₹5 crore without budgetary provisions or govt approval.According to inquiry details accessed by TOI, P Saraswathi, former municipal commissioner of Badangpet, approved several works during the tenure of the last council in 2025, allegedly to benefit a particular contractor. She is currently serving as deputy commissioner in the Badangpet circle following the GHMC reorganisation.The works included projects related to roads, sanitation, engineering, and urban biodiversity, such as parks and plantations.Procedural violationsThe probe found that officials failed to adhere to administrative protocols. They neither informed nor sought approvals from the district collector, additional collector, or the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) department.It also pointed to collusion among the 10 suspended officials, including the commissioner, deputy executive engineers, assistant municipal commissioner, sanitary inspector, and audit officer, who failed to flag irregularities.“The probe revealed that several projects were taken up under the supervision of the then municipal commissioner without following the tendering process. Additionally, multiple building permissions and road works were approved without entries in the mandatory measurement books, violating standard procedures,” said a top official in Shamshabad zone, GHMC.The measurement book is a critical document that records physical progress and material usage in public works. It serves as the basis for contractor payments and ensures accountability. However, the probe revealed that this requirement was largely ignored by officials, including former commissioners Saraswathi and G Raghu.Misuse of cheque powersThe vigilance investigation, conducted by a team comprising officials from police, engineering and audit wings, also found misuse of cheque powers. Irregularities ranged from bill clearances for minor supplies such as broomsticks to major infrastructure works.The inquiry was initiated after allegations of large-scale financial irregularities, procedural violations, and suspected misappropriation of public funds in the execution of works in Badangpet. Based on the findings and evidence gathered, GHMC has suspended all 10 officials with immediate effect.
