Law is taking its ‘long’ course on HDR, Ampareen and Deborah
SHILLONG: The law is taking its ‘long’ course as far as three cabinet ministers in the MUA-II-led Congress government are concerned.
While V. Shanmuganathan resigned as Governor following the allegation of “inappropriate behavior” with two lady job aspirants for the post of Public Relations Officer at Raj Bhavan and the subsequent litany of allegations against him by the Raj Bhavan staff, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is yet to take any action against three cabinet ministers – HDR Lyngdoh whose Marvelene’s Inn is embroiled in the sex racket case, Ampareen Lyngdoh whose education scam case is pending in the Supreme Court and Deborah Marak who was charge-sheeted in a hurry by her own Congress government for having links with GNLA.
Sangma had maintained that the law will take its course in all these cases though FIRs had been lodged against these ministers. No complaint was lodged against Shanmuganathan.
UDP working president Bindo Lanong while sharing his views on the matter said it is very unfortunate that such high profile scams are not moving anywhere and nobody knows what the reason is.
He said as per procedure, police have to send reports of their investigations to the court and the court has the jurisdiction to give timeline for finishing their inquiry.
“When the Government protects the crime, what can you say and the Government must give a free hand to police. How police will go into these matters when people who are involved in the crime are still their bosses,” said Lanong, who is the former deputy chief minister in charge law.
He also said if people who are accused in a crime continue to remain in power, they would destroy the evidence in the course of time because they have access to the files.
According to Lanong, if there is a prima facie case about their involvement, they should have been dropped or their portfolios should have been withdrawn.
Asked about the usual comment of the Chief Minister on this that law will take its course, Lanong said, “The Chief Minister talks big but his words are not translated into action.”
Echoing similar views, Tura MP and NPP leader Conrad Sangma said law should have acted swiftly in such cases and this is a matter of great concern.
He also maintained that if there is any indication that the people concerned are involved or linked to such cases, they should have been dropped.
“However, if somebody just owns the building where a crime has taken place and if there is a demand for his removal, it is a bit harsh,” Sangma said.
Commenting on the commitment of the Chief Minister to ensure transparency and accountability, Sangma said the Chief Minister is making big talks, but he is not practising what he is preaching and he does not take his own words seriously.
BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh said the allegations which have been made against the three Cabinet Ministers are serious and added that the Chief Minister should have respected the sentiments of the people who are demanding removal of the ministers from the Cabinet.
“Keeping ministers, who have such serious allegations, in the Cabinet is not good and the Chief Minister should pave way for other people into the Cabinet who have a clean image,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister must have control over his ministers.
The State BJP chief also said all such acts of the Ministers will damage the Congress in the 2018 Assembly elections. All the three accused ministers should be dropped from the Cabinet and proper inquiry must be instituted against them, he added.
CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing, who is pursuing the trafficking of the 14-year-old girl and the education scam, said law in Meghalaya seems to be applying only to the common man.
“They arrest people and kill youths on mere suspicion, but when there is a valid proof, especially in Ampareen Lyngdoh’s case, they are not doing anything,” Kharshiing added.
She said that common man in Meghalaya does not get a chance to justify their innocence and the ongoing situation indicates that the Government supports corruption and that they have different sets of law for their politicians.
Kharshiing also said all the three ministers should have resigned, especially HDR Lyngdoh, even as she added that the visiting card of Marvelene’s Inn has the phone number of HDR Lyngdoh’s wife, which reveals that she is running the hotel.
Confusion over ownership
While the wife of Lyngdoh claims that she is the owner of Marvelene’s Inn, the son of HDR Lyngdoh had earlier claimed that he was the proprietor of the guest house.
Police had already taken the statement of the duo, the Home Minister and the manager of the Inn, but no arrest has been made. After the arrest of the waiter on December 16, police are still investigating the matter. The TUR and CSWO had filed an FIR against the owners of the Inn quoting the provisions of the POCSO Act.