SHILLONG, March 18: The Meghalaya Lokayukta, on Thursday, directed the West Garo Hills district administration to investigate into the alleged misappropriation of central funds allocated to Tikrikilla College in the district.
Referring to a petition, which accused the Principal of Tikrikilla College and office-bearers of the governing body of the college of failing to give account of the grants-in-aid received from the Centre, the Lokayukta stated that the accused have failed to give account of Rs 1,70,99,000 received from the government as central assistance during 2008-09.
Divulging more information pertaining to the case, the court informed that one of the accused, Tinker Marak, a registered first-class contractor, was awarded the contract and the construction work was to be completed in a span of 36 months.
The anti-graft panel perused the petition and the documents filed by the petitioner which he obtained through RTI, the court said, adding the forum also perused the preliminary inquiry report submitted by the state police.
According to the Lokayukta’s “clear and conclusive” finding, out of the advance amount of more than Rs 1.7 crore released in two installments, the responding contractor has utilised only Rs 36,01,732.
In its finding, the Lokayukta recorded that the contractor started the work in March, 2010.
However, he suddenly stopped the work and went untraceable without turning up again. Following this, the college’s governing body cancelled the work order, it informed.
On appraisal of the matter, the Director of Higher and Technical Education, Meghalaya, directed the governing body of the college to raise funds from its resources and complete the construction work.
After this, an FIR was filed on March 21, 2011, with Tikrikilla police station.
During the course of the investigation, the inspecting officer passed away and the case was left unattended without any progress.
The Assistant Executive Engineer, PWD (B), Tura Sub Division, in a letter, informed the SDPO Raksamgre that inspection of the site construction of administration-cum-college block revealed that the ground floor was constructed by the contractor, Tinker K Marak, and that the overall status of construction of civil works was found to be 25 per cent.
“The clear position is that till now, even after 11 years, the construction work is incomplete,” the order of the court panel said.
In view of the pendency, the Lokayukta directed West Garo Hills Superintendent Of police to take necessary steps for resumption of investigation into the Tikrikilla PS case and get it completed under the provision and monitoring at the earliest.
The panel has also asked the SP to bring the contractor to book immediately, if so warranted and precede with prosecution in accordance with law.
It also directed the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills to report the status of the money suit filed on June 7, 2011, by the governing body of Tikrikilla College, while also urging it to take necessary legal steps to adjudicate the case, if it is still pending, as expeditiously as possible.
The panel has also advised the secretary of the college’s governing body to file a petition before the civil court for early execution of the money suit.
