A civil court in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has delivered a significant verdict against a former employee of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) for misusing public funds. The court has directed the dismissed official to repay a substantial sum of money along with interest and compensation for misappropriating proceeds from the sale of student concession passes.
Court's Decree and Financial Penalty
On January 1, the 5th joint civil judge, senior division, C P Kashid, issued an order partly decreeing a recovery suit filed by the MSRTC. The court held former traffic controller Rajesh Kashinath Sonawne guilty and ordered him to repay Rs 10,26,598 with 6% annual interest. Additionally, Sonawne must pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the transport corporation. The total amount he collected but failed to deposit was recorded as Rs 11,08,582.
Details of the Misconduct and Departmental Inquiry
Rajesh Kashinath Sonawne was posted as a traffic controller at the ST Bidkin control point and bus stand. His responsibilities included selling monthly student concession passes issued from the Paithan depot. These passes, priced between Rs 20 and Rs 307, required proper entries in official registers, and the full sale proceeds were mandated to be deposited with the concerned depot.
However, during checks conducted in 2011, MSRTC officials discovered serious irregularities. Sonawne did not cooperate with the inspection of records and repeatedly left the control cabin during verification. A subsequent departmental inquiry and scrutiny revealed that the sale proceeds were never deposited with the depot and were instead used for personal purposes.
The inquiry conclusively found that Sonawne misappropriated Rs 10,26,598. He was found guilty of serious misconduct affecting integrity, which led to his dismissal from service. A police complaint was also lodged at the Bidkin police station regarding the fund misappropriation.
Legal Proceedings and Court's Observations
In 2015, MSRTC filed a recovery suit in the civil court to reclaim the misappropriated amount along with interest and compensation. During the trial, the corporation presented a strong case, examining four key witnesses:
- The MSRTC accountant
- The depot manager
- The depot accountant
- The divisional transport superintendent
Substantial documentary evidence was also placed on record. Advocate Akshay S Radikar, representing MSRTC, argued that the defendant, entrusted with public money, breached that trust. He emphasized that the evidence clearly established the misappropriation.
The defendant, Sonawne, failed to appear in court despite service of summons, leading the court to proceed ex parte (in his absence). After examining the unchallenged oral and documentary evidence, the court upheld MSRTC's claim that Sonawne used the funds for personal use.
While the corporation sought 18% interest, the court deemed it excessive under the Civil Procedure Code and allowed future interest at 6% per annum from the date of the suit's filing until full realization of the amount.
In awarding Rs 2 lakh in compensation, the court observed that the misappropriation caused a significant financial loss and adversely affected public transport services. This loss, the court noted, ultimately impacted the government and the general public who rely on these services. The suit was partly decreed with costs, and the court ordered the formal decree to be drawn accordingly.
