In a serious case of administrative negligence, the Karnataka Lokayukta has registered a case against four government officials for allegedly creating and certifying a false death record of a farmer who is still alive. Acting swiftly after the case came to light, the Belagavi district administration on Wednesday suspended a village accountant accused of initiating the incorrect entry in official records.

Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan ordered the suspension of Neela Muragod, a village accountant posted in Sutagatti village of Savadatti taluk. The action came a day after the Lokayukta registered a suo motu case against her and three other revenue officials for their alleged role in wrongly declaring a living person dead in government records.

Farmer Declared Dead on Paper Since 2021

The case revolves around Irappa Nagappa Abbai, a 53-year-old farmer from Sutagatti village. Shockingly, Abbai was officially recorded as deceased in government records in 2021, even though he continued to live and work in his village. Based on the incorrect entry made at the village level, senior revenue officials subsequently processed and issued a formal death certificate in his name.

As a result of being declared dead on paper, Abbai was deprived of multiple government welfare benefits that he was legally entitled to receive. These included benefits linked to his identity and livelihood, effectively erasing his legal existence from official systems for several years.

The error came to light only after media reports highlighted the anomaly of a living person being shown as dead in official records, prompting intervention by the Lokayukta.

Lokayukta Registers Suo Motu Case

According to a statement issued by Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa, the Lokayukta registered a suo motu case on Tuesday after verifying the allegations reported in the media. The complaint names four officials from the revenue department who were allegedly involved at different stages of the process.

Those booked include Neela Muragod, village accountant, Sutagatti; R.S. Patil, revenue inspector of Muragod Circle; Mallikarjun Heggannavar, tahsildar of Savadatti; and Praveen Jain, sub-divisional officer of Bailhongal.

“We have registered a suo motu cognisance case against the officials after their erring was proved true,” Justice Veerappa said, confirming that a formal inquiry has been initiated to fix responsibility for the lapse.

Suspension Follows Administrative Scrutiny

Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan said the suspension of the village accountant was based on preliminary findings that pointed to serious misconduct in registering the farmer as dead without due verification.

Officials said the incorrect entry made by the village accountant triggered a chain of administrative actions, eventually leading to the issuance of a death certificate by higher authorities. The case has raised troubling questions about internal checks and verification mechanisms within the revenue department.

Justice Veerappa clarified that the suspension of Neela Muragod would not affect the ongoing Lokayukta proceedings against her. “The departmental action is separate and will have no bearing on the Lokayukta case,” he said.

Inquiry to Fix Accountability

The Lokayukta has now begun a detailed inquiry to determine how such a grave error went unnoticed for years and to establish the extent of responsibility of each official involved. Investigators will examine whether the act was a result of negligence, procedural failure or deliberate wrongdoing.

The case has sparked concern within the administration, as revenue records form the basis for access to welfare schemes, land ownership, pensions and other essential services. A false death entry can have devastating consequences for an individual, effectively cutting them off from the state’s support system.

Wider Implications

The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of citizens to bureaucratic lapses and the importance of accountability in local governance. It has also raised concerns about how many similar errors might exist undetected in government databases, particularly in rural areas where digital records are often updated based on manual inputs.

For Irappa Nagappa Abbai, the correction of records is expected to restore his legal status and enable him to reclaim benefits that were denied to him for years. For the administration, the case serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of clerical negligence and the need for stricter oversight at every level of governance.

As the Lokayukta inquiry progresses, further action against the officials involved is likely, depending on the findings of the investigation.