Inquiry by Coop Dept officer finds Shivamogga Brahmin Mahasabha spent funds violating by-laws

The inquiry officer of the Department of Cooperation, who probed allegations against the Shivamogga District Brahmin Mahasabha, has submitted a report stating that the Sabha’s office-bearers spent funds in violation of its by-law, and that the amount can be recovered from members of the executive committee.

Following complaints by S.S. Srikanth of Shivamogga and Vinay S.V. of Sogane village near Shivamogga, Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Shivamogga, Nagabhushan C. Kalmane, ordered an inquiry into the Mahasabha’s activities on January 22 this year, under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960. Manjunath S., superintendent at the office of the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Shivamogga sub-division, was appointed inquiry officer.

The complainants had alleged that the Mahasabha had taken up the management of Surabha Goshala at Mandenakoppa near Shivamogga, an activity not covered by the organisation’s registered objectives. They also alleged that the cow shelter had been established on government land without any formal lease or grant from the Revenue Department, and that the Mahasabha had collected substantial sums from members and the public and spent them on the goshala, in violation of its by-laws.