Activists demand probe report be made public
SHILLONG: Pressure groups and RTI activists from Jaintia Hills on Thursday blamed the Congress-led government for “intentionally delaying” action against the former CEM of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) who was allegedly involved in twin scams in 2014.
A delegation of the Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) and RTI activists came to Shillong on Thursday to meet Governor V Shanmuganathan and seek his intervention in the matter.
However, the Governor was not in town and the delegation met Principal Secretary H.M Shangpliang.
The NGOs demanded that the report of the inquiry into the Rs 2.33-crore twin scams be made public. Shangpliang sought 10 days’ time to intimate the Governor’s response.
Speaking to media persons, JYF president Poipynhun Majaw said the ruling Congress was intentionally delaying the matter since the former CEM belonged to the same party.
Majaw said the State Government delayed issuance of the prosecution order to the police even after two years of unearthing of the scam.
“The police have not filed their charge sheet yet,” he added.
Three RTI activists from Khliehtyrshi had filed an FIR against former CEM of JHADC M. Rymbai alleging misappropriation of more than a crore released by the State Government for land acquisition for the implementation of the proposed Jowai bypass and forgery of land documents belonging to the Lumpohsiej locality in Khliehtyrshi village.
Rymbai was also allegedly involved in misappropriation of JHADC fund to the tune of Rs 1.18 crore meant for payment as discretionary grant and gratuity relief.
JSU President Rikut N. Parien said the inquiry report should be made public and the guilty should be punished.
On the other hand, the JYF president said that if the State Government fails to make the probe report public the delegation would jointly file a petition in the High Court of Meghalaya.