Thane, Palghar Zilla Parishad officers launch strike over BDO’s arrest in embezzlement case

Thane/Palghar, Dec 8 (PTI) Officers of Thane and Palghar Zilla Parishads launched an indefinite strike on Monday to protest the arrest of a block development officer (BDO) in Maharashtra's Wardha district in an embezzlement case.

Personnel from the general administration department, village panchayat department, additional CEO, and project directors, among others, took part in the protest, said a Zilla Parishad official.

Protesting staffers have claimed that the arrest of Sunita Maraskolhe, BDO of Arvi Panchayat Samiti in Wardha district, in an alleged MGNREGA embezzlement case violated basic legal norms.

They argued that holding a BDO criminally liable for signing a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is unfair, as most groundwork under schemes like MGNREGA is handled by contractual staff, with the BDO's signature being a final technical formality.

The strike, supported by various employee organisations and associations, is likely to hit rural development operations, MGNREGA works, panchayat administration, and housing scheme processes. PTI COR ARU