Patna, Aug. 25: Patna High Court today paved the way for the arrest of 227 mukhiyas (panchayat heads) of Sitamarhi district who have allegedly been involved in financial irregularities in the distribution of solar lights worth Rs 18 crore.

The bench of Justice Shailesh Kumar Sinha passed the order on a bunch of petitions filed by mukhiyas seeking quashing of the order passed by a chief judicial magistrate (CJM), who issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against them.

Justice Sinha, while rejecting the petitions, said the CJM’s order did not have any illegality. No relief can be given to the petitioners (mukhiyas) in any criminal writ petition, he said.

The court’s directive assumes significance as it has come amid growing allegations of corruption in three-tier panchayati raj institutions, particularly against mukhiyas.

The timing of the order, which is a mere coincidence, also assumes significance owing to the nationwide debate over having a strong Lokpal to deal with corrupt leaders and public servants.

The government’s counsel, Amarnath Deo and Arvind Ujjwal, submitted before the court that these elected representatives, in connivance with officers and suppliers, caused loss to the tune of Rs 18 crore to the state exchequer. Hence, they argued, the CJM had rightly issued the warrants against them after going through the detailed report submitted by police.

The police, after investigations, prime facie found the allegations true against the mukhiyas, they added.

Deo submitted that these mukhiyas were supposed to install quality solar lights of Tata BP Solar India Ltd in the villages but they installed substandard ones instead. Tata solar lights were priced at Rs 35,000 per unit whereas the substandard and duplicate ones would cost around Rs 17,000. In the process, they allegedly siphoned off between Rs 17,000 and Rs 18,000 per solar lamp, the counsel said.

“Out of the aforesaid margin, Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 went into the pockets of mukhiyas and panchayat secretaries, whereas the rest went in the share of other civil servants. The civil servants and mukhiyas connived to loot public money,” standing counsel Ujjwal submitted, adding that around 4,500 such duplicate units were installed.

The police lodged an FIR in October 2010 under various sections of the IPC and the copyright act against the mukhiyas, suppliers and others. Initially, the case was registered against 232 mukhiyas. Four of them later died while the fifth was holding additional charge at that time.

Taking cognisance of the magnitude of the financial irregularities, the CJM’s court in February this year issued warrants against 227 mukhiyas. The order was stayed by the high court in March.

Of the 265 villages in which solar lights were installed, 252 were found to be of substandard quality. In 10 panchayats, solar lights were not installed, the FIR said.