SHILLONG: Though the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named Congress MLA, Ampareen Lyngdoh and Education officials JD Sangma and AI Lyngdoh in the charge sheet for their alleged involvement in the education scam, the Central probe agency spared several politicians as they had only recommended the names of candidates for appointment.
A legislator, who had recommended the names of some candidates for the post of assistant teachers, said on Sunday that every MLA recommends names with a suggestion that if the candidates have merit and fulfils the required criteria, they can be appointed.
The MLA revealed that he was quizzed by the CBI and his answer was that the recommendation is done by all but it is upto the authorities to appoint the candidates based on merit.
According to the MLA, the elected representatives are for the people and there is no harm in recommending the names of candidates for appointment in various posts.
“Of course, we cannot go out of our way and put undue pressure on any one for appointment which is wrong”, the MLA said.
A CBI source said that the MLAs had pointed out about the recommendations when they were quizzed and the investigating agency could not find any evidence.
The politicians who recommended their own choice of candidates included former deputy chief minister RC Laloo (37 candidates), former Mawkynrew MLA Remington Pyngrope (47), Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar (30), former Raksamgre MLA Limison D Sangma (34), Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong (20), former Urban Affairs Minister Ronnie V Lyngdoh (15), Minister AL Hek (7), South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai (3), former MLA RL Tariang (29), former MLA JA Lyngdoh (6), Congress MLA Charles Pyngrope (3) former MLA Donkupar Massar (2), member of district council M. Pariat (11), Independent MLA Lambor Malngiang (4) and F. War, adviser to former chief minister DD Lapang (3).
UDP women’s wing after
Ampareen associates
The women’s wing of UDP Shillong city, while welcoming the charge sheet against Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh, questioned as to why the CBI and the state police did not hunt for her two associates, who were involved in changing the score sheets with white fluid as stated by the then Director, JD Sangma.
In a joint statement issued here on Sunday, the leaders of UDP women’s wing, said, “At last there is the news about CBI decision to charge sheet those involved in the decade old education scam in Meghalaya, when Ampareen Lyngdoh was education minister and it is welcomed by us, though late”, the UDP leaders said.
According to the UDP, a lot of time has been unnecessarily wasted, due to reasons best known to judiciary and CBI authorities.
They pointed out that whereas in the similar Haryana education scam, the case was disposed of within a short time and the liability of the scam was that the then Chief Minister OP Chautala, his son and others were sentenced for 10 years in jail
“While placing our faith on the authorities to be fair in their duty in accordance with the law, we however fail to comprehend, why the CBI and the state police did not hunt for the two persons of the then minister, who abetted in changing the score sheets with white fluid as confessed by the then director, JD Sangma in his statements”, the UDP said.
They said the authorities can still go after the two main culprits..