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MRDS officials, supplier give different versions on fund ‘misappropriation’

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From Cosmos Sangma

Total Sanitation Campaign Scam

TURA: Two top officials of the Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) and a Tura based supplier involved in the Total Sanitation Campaign project of East Garo Hills worth over 5.32 Crore rupees where the alleged misappropriation of funds took place have given conflicting written statements on the issue.

The statements and undertakings made in Williamnagar by the three persons before a magistrate last year have taken a complete reversal by the time the three decided to file affidavits in Tura in May, this year.

One thing that stands out is a letter to Principal Secretary to Govt of Meghalaya, Peter W Ingty, by East Garo Hills district administration on December 17th-2013 where it is mentioned that supplier Sohan Kumar Sah returned Rs 60 Lakh to the District Water and Sanitation Committee, Williamnagar and took an undertaking to return 90 lakh rupees which were paid to him for supply of materials that allegedly were never supplied for the sanitation project.

The then project manager of MRDS, Perry Messmar R Marak, allegedly gave a written statement in Williamnagar on October 24th 2013 mentioning that then Deputy Commissioner of East Garo Hills, Pravin Bakshi, introduced supplier Sohan Kumar Sah of Tura to supply the materials in the name of M/S Tengrikchi Store, Meljini Sangma and Sonex Enterprise, all based in Tura.

The statement of Perry goes on to add that he had objected to the ‘abnormally’ high rates for toilet pans and plastic doors but Bakshi had supported the supplier.

Out of these ordered materials cement, white lime, brush, plastic paint, and iron rods (6mm and 8 mm) were allegedly never supplied. Only 1188 toilet pans and 1150 doors were supplied.

“When I asked the supplier he said it was on the instruction from the then DC. I was instructed by DC to release the full amount to the supplier even though the materials were never supplied,” Perry has mentioned in his written statement, a copy of which is available with The Shillong Times.

Interestingly, there is a new twist to the whole episode with a fresh affidavit made by the then project manager before a lady magistrate in Tura as latest as the 8th of May, this year.

In the affidavit filed before the first class magistrate the former MRDS project manager states that the supplier provided all the materials in total and due financial procedures were followed.

He further mentions that he was made to give the previous statement against Bakshi under ‘duress’ and the project work done ‘diligently’ with payments made only after complete satisfaction by the project manager.

There is a similar pattern in the statements given by the then MRDS Finance and Accounts Officer, Jamuna D Marak.

In her statement before the district magistrate in Williamnagar on October 30th, last year, she alleges that no tender notice was advertised anywhere and Sohan Kumar had submitted three different quotations and the comparative statement approved by both project manager (MRDS) and Bakshi.

“We made a total payment of about One Crore Seventy Lakhs to Sohan Kumar. I objected in the beginning for payment as we did not receive the full material. Project manager said it was the instruction from DC and hence insisted me to make the full payment,” stated the accounts officer in her earlier statement.

The lady accounts officer in her fresh affidavit, this year on May 5th, does a full reversal maintaining that the supplier provided all materials in total and payment was done through due financial procedures.

She also claims that her earlier statement against Bakshi was made under ‘duress’.

The supplier of materials for the project, Sohan Kumar Sah of Tura Bazar has also allegedly given two separate written statements. In his alleged undertaking given on October 23rd 2013 in Williamnagar he states that he would refund ninety lakh rupees to the District Water and Sanitation Committee (DWSC) of east Garo Hills through the MRDS for supply of materials for construction of school toilets.

“Out of these ordered materials cement, white lime, lime brush, paint brush plastic paint and iron rods (6mm and 8 mm) were not supplied while payment roughly Rs. 90,00,000.00 for these materials received by me,” stated Sohan Kumar in his first alleged undertaken last year.

This year, he signed on an affidavit at Tura before the magistrate on May 9th claiming all items for construction were supplied and challans obtained. He too claims to have signed the earlier undertaking under ‘duress’ from the Deputy commissioner of Williamnagar, Vijay Kumar Mantri.

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