Patna, March 2: Over 200 mukhiyas (village heads) are facing piquant situation in Sitamarhi district, ahead of the panchayat elections.

They are being taken into custody at the time of filing the nomination papers and put behind the bars. Reason: Non-bailable arrest warrants have been issued against 227 mukhiyas of the district for alleged irregularities in the distribution of solar lights in the villages falling under their jurisdiction. Two mukhiyas — Lal Krishna Choudhary and Mohammad Kalim — of Dandhari and Pathanpura panchayats respectively were arrested as non-bailable warrants were pending against them. The rest of the mukhiyas are all absconding.

Sitamarhi superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar Rathi said arrest warrants had been issued by a local court against 227 mukhiyas after the police prima facie found the allegations true against them.

Out of 265 villages in which solar lights were installed, 252 were found to be of substandard quality. In 10 panchayats, solar lights were not installed, he added. Then station house officer of Sitamarhi town police station Harichandra Thakur had lodged an FIR in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the distribution of solar lights worth Rs 18 crore.

A supplier of the substandard quality solar lights, Sunil Jha was arrested earlier, the SP said. Initially, the case was registered against 232 mukhiyas. Four of them later died while the fifth one was holding additional charge at that time. The fraud came to light after a police team conducted a raid at the house of a supplier Ashok Kumar at Barbaria in Sitmarhi on October 30, 2010. During interrogation, he disclosed the names of other suppliers, said Sitmarhi deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Shashi Shankar Kumar.

The DSP said that copies of warrants have been provided to the station house officers concerned.