SHILLONG, Nov 28: A day after the leader of the opposition, Mukul Sangma accused Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Power Minister James Sangma of destroying crucial evidence in the sensational case of a cyber-crime registered in 2017 on duping of American citizens, the chief minister hit back at the opposition leader castigating him for transferring police officials who were inquiring into the prostitution racket in a city guest house owned by former Home Minister, HDR Lyngdoh .
Slamming the opposition leader for his allegations, the chief minister on Saturday said that the allegations indicate a deep sense of desperation on the part of Mukul Sangma.
“They are running out of issues relating to governance and now they are resorting to personal attacks at the family.” he said.
Giving details about the IRS scam, the chief minister said that the incident occurred in 2017 and investigation carried on for a year.
In 2018 when there was a change of government the investigation carried on for another year.
“If we had interfered, transfers would have been made immediately when we came to power but this was not the case and we allowed the investigation to carry on without any interference,” the chief minister said.
According to Sangma, the transfers and posting were made later as a routine matter and not only a few officials but many officials under the system were transferred.
Hitting out at the opposition leader, the chief minister recalled that in the matter of a prostitution racket which was run in the guest house owned by the then Home Minister, during the tenure of the Congress-led Government, the concerned officer and investigation officers were transferred within a month .
Clarifying further on the process of SS Netcom, Sangma said that the company was into a call centre business and as the business became competitive, the company decided not to continue with the call centre and in order to get back the returns for the investment, the company decided to lease and rent out the premises.
The chief minister maintained that the matter at hand had nothing to do with SS Netcom, even as he added that it was simply the premises which had been invested in as it was leased out.
Asserting that all the processes of obtaining NOC from SP, district council and even Rangbah Shnong was obtained before leasing out the premises, the chief minister said that due diligence was followed by none other than the SP at that time.
Terming the allegations as unfortunate and an attempt to divert attention, Conrad Sangma said that proper inquiry has been conducted into the particular case and even individuals were arrested and due action was taken.
Reacting to a query about the delay in calling the meeting of the State Security Commission, he said that the meeting has been delayed due to COVID and other unforeseen situations.
“Based on the situation, if required we will call the meeting and if the situation improves, we will make sure that the meeting is called on a regular basis,” he said.