SHILLONG: Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Thursday that the CBI registering the case was a well-calculated move when the polls are round the corner. She, however, did not name BJP.
“It is well-calculated. But I am ready to face any probe. I too want justice and my desire is to see the closure of the case,” Lyngdoh said in her response on Thursday.
She pointed out that the CBI did not interrogate her in the past during the earlier probe that culminated in the 107-page report.
According to Lyngdoh, there were a series of court orders and there was no direction to take action against her.
“I did not do anything and I never asked anyone to put white ink on the mark sheets. I was tortured for 10 years. Give me justice,” Lyngdoh said.
However, the minister refused to comment on the stand of then education official JD Sangma that he was asked by the minister to change the score sheets.
In response, BJP state general secretary Banshai Khongwir said the party has nothing to do with CBI registering case against Ampareen ahead of the polls.
“The case has nothing to do with BJP and the process of law needs to be respected”, Khongwir said.
He also said the Chief Minster should have dropped Ampareen long time back.
“Infact, the minister should be immediately dropped”, Khongwir said.
No change in official’s stand on Ampareen role
The former Director of Elementary and Mass Education (DEME) now known as School Education and Literacy, JD Sangma, had maintained the same stand on the role of Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh in the education scam.
An official source said on Thursday that during the government’s internal inquiry before taking disciplinary action, Sangma had reiterated that he was called by the Minister to her residence and was asked to change the score sheets by applying white ink.
According to the official who carried out the inquiry, the verbal order is equal to a written order as per the service rules.
The inquiry that was in favour of Sangma had cited that the officer was compelled to carry out orders from the minister.
Earlier, during the submission made before the CBI, the High Level Scrutiny Committee and a lower court, Sangma had maintained the same stand.