Former ministers, MDC & govt official secure bail

SHILLONG: Additional Chief Secretary PS Thangkhiew and former legislators Sniawbhalang Dhar and Donkupar Massar, besides Jowai South MDC Moonlight Pariat secured interim anticipatory bail fearing the arrest of CBI in connection with the education scam.
An official source said on Friday that the district sessions court that granted interim bail to the four persons on January 15 will hear the matter on January 24.
The CBI on January 3 had registered a case against Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, Thangkhiew, Directorate of Elementary and Mass Education and unknown persons.
Dhar, Massar and Pariat, among other politicians, had recommended the names of candidates for appointment.
The action of the CBI was following the direction of the High Court of Meghalaya issued on November 2 to probe the criminal aspects regarding the education scam.
Earlier, the CBI had unearthed manipulations, tampering in score sheets and interference in selections for the posts of assistant teachers in lower primary schools during 2008-2009.
The CBI report had named Ampareen and then education official JD Sangma for their alleged involvement in the manipulation of marks.
The public representatives who had recommended their own set of candidates to be appointed as teachers were deputy chief minister RC Laloo (37 candidates), former Mawkynrew MLA Remington Pyngrope (47), former minister and Nartiang MLA Dhar (37), Raksamkre MLA Limison D Sangma (34), former minister and Pynursla MLA Prestone Tynsong (20), Urban Affairs Minister Ronnie V Lyngdoh (15), former minister and Pynthorumkhrah MLA AL Hek (7), South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai (3), former MLA RL Tariang (29), former MLA JA Lyngdoh (6),
former Speaker Charles Pyngrope (3), former MLA Massar (2), member of district council Pariat (11), former MLA L Malngiang (4) and adviser to former chief minister DD Lapang, F War (3).
The CBI is likely to file charge sheet against the accused within this month.