Finger of suspicion points at Forest Dept staff
SHILLONG: While the Forest and Border Area Development departments are tightlipped over the contents of the missing files, the documents available with The Shillong Times reveal that the files contain papers related to the alleged misappropriation of over Rs 30 lakh meant for the construction of Syndai park in Jaintia-Hills bordering Bangladesh.
The scam allegedly links to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest TTC Marak who is due to retire in April. However, Marak had denied the allegations when the issue cropped up in the past.
The files are pertaining to the observations of the Public Accounts Committee of the Assembly after the matter figured in the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
The Deputy Secretary in-charge forest and environment department A. Nikhla, lodged a complaint with the police that in between 2006 and March 19, 2014, two files bearing No. FOR.76/2006, were found missing from the Secretariat.
Though the police registered a case, they could not trace the files as the investigation is going in slow pace in view of the Lok Sabha polls. “We are still investigating the matter” East Khasi Hills SP M Kharkang said on Sunday.
It was in 2002-03 that the Department of Border Management, Union Ministry of Home Affairs decided to develop a park at the cost of Rs 60 lakh at Syndai, a historical place close to the International border in Jaintia Hills.
The Border Area Development department had decided to execute the project through the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department.
As the first installment, the Centre released Rs 30.608 lakh to the Border Area Development Department, but the allegations are that the money was misappropriated by the then Chief Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry, TTC.Marak during the period 2003-2004 and 2004-05.
It was alleged that Marak had deposited the amount in an account in Canara Bank without the permission of the Government. Though the holder of bank account was shown as Chief Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry, it was operated by him as his personal account and drew money for his personal use.
Initially, there was withdrawal by self cheques for an amount of Rs 28,47,615 which were used by him for his personal expenditure. Further another cheque No.405670 dated 27.05.2005 for Rs.50,110 was issued for obtaining a bank draft payable at Pune to Symbiosis Law college where his son was studying.
Marak released only Rs 8 lakh to the field officers to execute the project till 2005 and only part of the works was carried out in shoddy manner.
In 2005 when the matter surfaced, Marak gave two cheques No.0315483 dated. 06.06.2006 for Rs. 9,24,000/- and No.0315490 dated 07.07.2006 for Rs. 60,800/- to the executing officer, Divisional Forest Officer, Jaintia Hills, Social Forestry Division, Jowai from another account in State Bank of India (Evening) Branch Shillong bearing account No. 30007999589.
This action indicated that the official had allegedly misappropriated the Government money and operated a benami bank account.
Marak returned another amount of Rs.4,28,200 from his personal bank account in Axis Bank vide a Bank draft 00853 dated 19.03.10 to the secretary, border area department.
However, till 2009, the work at the park was not completed and a project for Grade II quarters was non- existent. The present Chief Information Commissioner CD Kynjing was the then Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment.
A reply to RTI filed by a joint action committee of Jaintia Youth Federation and the War Jaintia Students’ Union, the findings of the CAG and the Public Accounts Committee of the Assembly had pointed out the role of Marak, for allegedly depositing the money under the project in his personal account and releasing it at certain intervals.
Due to the alleged the financial bungling in implementing the first phase of scheme, the Centre did not release the second installment for the completion of the park.
The Accountant General (Audit) had confirmed the financial bungling and the matter was reflected in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for Meghalaya for the year ending March 31, 2009.
A students’ union had lodged an FIR with Muktapur police out post under Dawki police station in 2010 for taking action against the officer.
The Government, however, created a special post of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and promoted Marak in 2010 though there was a direction from the Centre not to promote the officer due to the scam.
Later, after hearing a PIL regarding the matter, the Gauhati High Court had directed the State CID had to investigate the case and submit the report to the Court.
The inquiry report submitted to the Court by the CID in 2011 confirmed the scam and the alleged role of Marak.
The Gauhati High Court, in September 2011 had directed the border area department to revive the Syndai park project besides asking the government to take appropriate action on the CID report and also to inform the court about the action taken report.
Earlier, Gauhati High Court, in a hearing held on March 2011, had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the Government for the delay in submitting an affidavit on the progress of investigation into the alleged scam in construction of the park.
Police later wrote to the state government for according sanction for prosecution of the officer during August-September 2012.
Instead of taking action, the higher ups made Marak the Head of the Forest Department with effect from April 30 2013.
After a visit in October 2011 by this reporter to Syndai park which remained non-functional, questions were put to Marak for his reactions on the allegations.
Marak had said that the allegation against him was not true.
According to him, the Public Accounts Committee found that there was an effort by vested interests to malign his image.
He claimed that the Committee had exonerated him according to the letter of the Assembly secretariat on May 4, 2011 which stated that there was a personal feud among certain officers in the forest department resulting in misinformation and information being withheld.
As per the Assembly secretariat, the PAC had also clarified that the “intention behind the recommendation of a thorough probe as suggested by it was to get to the bottom of the matter in fixing responsibility on officials who have provided wrong information to the audit that led to the wrong observation by the CAG (audit)”.
The PAC report tabled on March 10, 2011, after analysing the CAG report of 2009 had alleged that there was misappropriation of Government money in the construction of the park at Syndai village and for this there should be a thorough probe to fix responsibility.
The report, however, said the allegation that an amount of Rs 30.61 lakh was initially retained in the personal savings account of Marak was termed by him as false.
The then forest and environment principal secretary, CD Kynjing, who gave an oath of evidence before the PAC, stood by Marak.
The PAC said the principal secretary had further clarified that some officers from the forest directorate must have suppressed some facts and gave wrong information to the CAG.