Aizawl: With a court here taking into cognizance corruption chargesheet filed against him, former Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga is to face the court on November 19.
The special court under Prevention of Corruption Act on Monday admitted the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s corruption chargesheet filed against misuse of government properties by Zoramthanga when he was the chief minister during 1998 to 2008.
Mr Zoramthanga had been charged with government’s property for personal purpose, in which the state Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) had filed the chargesheet.
In an FIR filed by anti-corruption organisation Prism, he had allegedly used farming materials worth Rs 37 lakh of the agriculture department at his private farm at Aii Puk near Aizawl.
Prism was compelled to file a PIL with the Gauhati High Court on July 14, 2009, as no action was taken then. The high court on December 21, 2009, ordered a probe into the allegations.
Though, Mr Zoramthanga was also charged with possessing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income, the ACB had failed to chargesheet him in the second count.
Prism sources told UNI on Tuesday that the chargesheet in the disproportionate assets would be filed on November 19.
Also, with the state election commission cancelling proposed elections to village councils, Mizoram’s Local Administration Minister P C Lalthanliana on Tuesday said that the state government would soon decide on the formation of village councils in 15 villages within the Sinlung Hills Development Council. Lalthanliana said there were a number of choices including appointment of advisory bodies in the villages and the final decision would be made by the CM. He however ruled out out the possibility of extending the terms of the village councils any further. Elections could not be held in the 15 villages along with the other village councils due to intimidation by the Manipur-based Hmar People’s Convention – Democrats militants. (agencies)
